UN General Assembly
1961

48. On the question of general disarmament, Considered independently of that of nuclear tests, pessimism would be out of place since the joint statement of the United States and the Soviet Union, which has been widely circulated in this Assembly, indicates that there is a welcome area of agreement. The reaffirmation by the two greatest world Powers of their desire to initiate a programme of general and complete disarmament, guaranteeing that States will maintain only the conventional arms needed to maintain internal order and to protect the lives of their citizens, is in our judgement one of the most promising pieces of news the people could receive. We cannot conceal our enthusiastic hope that this encouraging declaration will be endorsed by this Assembly. My country trusts that in the very near future agreement will be reached regarding the body through which these negotiations, which the world awaits with understandable anxiety, will be undertaken.