UN General Assembly
1957

103. The disarmament problem was discussed for five months in London in the Sub-Committee of the Disarmament Commission, but no agreement was reached. Yet Mr. Stassen, the United States representative, assures us that East and West have succeeded in drawing closer together than ever before and expresses great optimism regarding future prospects for disarmament. What we have heard here in the general debate does not justify the United States representative's optimism. For some time to come, it appears, mankind will still have to endure not only the fear of war, the fear of the use of weapons of mass destruction, but what is even more serious, the constant and extensive contamination of the atmosphere, the land and the waters as a result of nuclear weapons tests, which none of the producing countries is willing to suspend, except on conditions which are not acceptable to all parties. In addition, the armaments race is seriously disrupting the world economy and must be regarded as chiefly responsible for the inflation which is assuming Increasingly alarming proportions and is disturbing the economies of all countries, since none can avoid this evil. My Government endorses the plea of all peace-loving peoples that efforts should be made to conclude at least a provisional agreement, which would end the growing threat to the health and life of present and future generations.