For det første vil jeg gerne kommentere forhandlingernes starttidspunkt. Det var oprindelig meningen, at disse forhandlinger skulle have fundet sted i dag kl. ###>Mr President, Commissioner, on the one hand, the great powers, such as Russia, are downsizing their weapons arsenals, while, on the other, the number of states and, alas, criminal organisations who possess the know-how needed to manufacture weapons of mass destruction is on the increase.