text: Five-Continent PeaceInitiative, signedbyHeadsofStateandGovernment fromsix countries, inclUding Sweden. Inthisinitiative itisemphasized that non-nuclear-weapon Statesalsohavetherighttomaketheirvoicesheardwith regardtonuclear weapons. Today,nuclear weapons areathreattothesurvival ofmankind. Moreandmore statesarebeginning todiscuss nuclear weapons alsointermsofinternational law.TheCharter oftheunitedNations prohibits thethreatoruseofforce. The useofforceinself-defence thatisrecognized intheCharter mustbe proportionate totheforceusedbytheattacker. Furthermore, itshouldbenoted thatexisting international lawrelating toarmedconflict contains somegeneral--------------------- ------ ---;;;-- AMR/3 A/40jPV.7 7 (Mr.Bodstrom, Sweden) principles whichoutlawcertain methodsofwarfare. Relevant principles inthis context areinteraliatheprinciple ofdistinction between military andcivilian objects, thebanonmethods andmeansthatcauseunnecessary suffering andthe principle ofproportionality. Thelatterprinciple prohibits attacks whichmaybe expected tocausecivilian lossesthatwouldbeexcessive inrelation tothedirect military advantage anticipated. Principles ofinternational lawplaceaheavy responsibility onanyGovernment considering theuseofnuclear weapons. Theuse ofnuclear weapons incontravention oftheprinciples towhichIhavejustreferred willbeinconflict withinternational law. Today,interest isfocused onthebilateral negotiations inGenevaandthe approaching summitmeeting between theleadersoftheSovietUnionandtheunited states. Butatthesametimeasthesenegotiations areinprogress, thearsenals aregrowing. Theproposal foranuclear-weapon freezeremains valid. Afreeze couldbeafirststeptowards reductions in,andtheelimination of,nuclear weapons. However, thebilateral negotiations between theSovietUnionandtheUnited Statescannotdiminish theimportance ofthemultilateral workdonehereinthe UnitedNations, attheConference onDisarmament inGenevaandinotherforums. ForEurope, theprocess initiated bytheConference onSecurity andCo-operation in Europeandtheongoing Stockholm Conference onConfidence andSecurity-Building Measures offerimportant opportunities ofstrengthening co-operation anddetente. AstheStockholm Conference nowapproaches itsfinalstages,itisessential that thenegotiations enterintoamore CC~jcrete phaseassoonaspossible. Thearmsraceknowsnoboundaries andisreaching totheoceansandoutinto space. Outerspaceisthecommonheritage vimankind. Peaceful spaceactivities aretodayofgreatimportance toallStatesforpurposes ofcommunication, forAMH/3 A/40/PV.7 8 (Mr.Bodstrom, Sweden) earthresources surveys andforweather observation. Asfarassecurity policyis concerned, satellites haveimportant stabilizing functions, suchasearlywarning andtheverification ofdisarmament agreements. Theissueofpreventing anarmsraceinouterspacehasattracted much attention recently. TheSwedish Government believes thatsecurity cannotbe achieved through technical solutions, as,forexample, newmilitary systems which canbeintroduced inouterspace. Theycannotsolvetheproblem ofreliance on nuclear deterrence, whichisfundamentally apolitical problem. Onlynegotiated political solutions canberealistic. Swedenhasalsonotedwithconcern the development ofanti-satellite systems, whichcontribute toanincreased riskofan armsraceinouterspaceandtodestabilizing development inastrategic area. Another serious development inweapons technology istheobvious riskofa growing concentration onsuchweapons asseaandair-launched cruisemissiles. The Swedish Government wishesinparticular toemphasize theimportance ofreaching agreement onabanonlong-range cruisemissiles. Thenavalarmsracehasbrought themilitary forcesofthegreatPowers, inclUding theirnuclear weapons, toallcontinents. TheUnitedNations studyon thenavalarmsrace,whichhasnowbeencompleted, demonstrates theimportance of disarmament andconfidence-building measures inthisareaaswellasofmeasures to strengthen therulesofinternati~nal lawonnavalwarfare. Itoughttobeofcommoninterest toallStatestoprevent theproliferation ofnuclear weapons. Thebestwayofachieving thisistostrengthen the international setofrulesthathasbeendrawnupthrough theTreatyonthe Non-Proliferation ofNuclear Weapons andtheworkoftheInternational Atomic EnergyAgency(IAEA). Against thisbackground, weregretthatsomenuclear-weaponAMH/3 A/40/PV.7 9-10
analysis: This text appears to be a diplomatic speech or statement on international relations and disarmament. It discusses the threat of nuclear weapons, the importance of international law, and the need for disarmament and confidence-building measures. The text also touches on the issue of outer space and the development of anti-satellite systems.