The States Parties to this Convention,
Guided by the interest of consolidating peace, and wishing to contribute to the cause
of halting the arms race, and of bringing about general and complete disarmament under
strict and effective international control, and of saving mankind from the danger
of using new means of warfare,
Determined to continue negotiations with a view to achieving effective progress towards
further measures in the field of disarmament,
Recognizing that scientific and technical advances may open new possibilities with
respect to modification of the environment,
Recalling the Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment,
adopted at Stockholm on 16 June 1972,
Realizing that the use of environmental modification techniques for peaceful purposes
could improve the interrelationship of man and nature and contribute to the preservation
and improvement of the environment for the benefit of present and future generations,
Recognizing, however, that military or any other hostile use of such techniques could
have effects extremely harmful to human welfare,
Desiring to prohibit effectively military or any other hostile use of environmental
modification techniques in order to eliminate the dangers to mankind from such use,
and affirming their willingness to work towards the achievement of this objective,
Desiring also to contribute to the strengthening of trust among nations and to the
further improvement of the international situation in accordance with the purposes
and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,