UN General Assembly
1963

140. Within this cursory review of the problems of peace, may I also be allowed to elucidate one point with regard to the Atlantic Alliance. The Alliance has not and never has had aggressive intentions towards anyone and has actually proved its desire for peace even in difficult circumstances. That, moreover, has always been and remains the firm resolve of all its members, including West Germany, in respect to which baseless accusations have sometimes been made. 141. Italy became a member of NATO because it was convinced that in a world unfortunately still armed, only the balance of forces permits the maintenance of peace and discourages aggression, though always with the hope that a time would come when peace could be ensured, not by regional equilibrium of armaments, but through a global security system in a totally disarmed world. That is the goal we seek.