ABSTRACT
Through various official and semiofficial Eastern statements, a certain philosophy seems to transpire according to which comparisons between different conventional armaments systems should run very prominent during the CFE talks. The issue of comparison between different conventional systems is raised as a recognition that symmetrical disarmament measures do not necessarily have symmetrical benefits for the parties to the arrangement. That is why asymmetrical measures are needed. There is automaticity in armaments technologies that may lead to negative repercussions in subregions outside the controlling effect of the negotiation under way. The road to conventional disarmament and stability is long and strewn with obstacles. For the first time in many years, however, there is real hope and not just wishful thinking that those roadblocks may be removed or surmounted.
