UN General Assembly
1983

284. Furthermore, the establishment of an international convention prohibiting the development, production and stockpiling of chemical weapons seems to us to be a priority objective. We also hope that the problem of the prevention of an arms race in outer space will be dealt with as soon as possible. 285. Members will understand, however, that the negotiations most important to us at present concern intermediate-range nuclear forces. Those negotiations must be concluded before the end of the year, and there must be a restoration of the approximate balance which even the Soviet Union itself acknowledges as having existed in Europe a few years ago. 286. The new proposals put forward here two days ago by President Reagan are a proof of the firm determination of the United States and its allies to arrive speedily at a balanced agreement. 287. We urge the Soviet Union to reverse its negative reaction and to rejoin the United States in an intensive effort to achieve as soon as possible an equitable, verifiable agreement.