The Conference of the 18-nation Committee on Disarmament opened this afternoon at the Palais des Nations.

A section of the conference chamber as Mr. Loutfi (seated 3rd from right, at desk in foreground), Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the Conference, opened the meeting with a statement of welcome to the delegations present. At the desk with him are (l. to r.) Mr. Jaja Wachuku, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nigeria and Head of Delegation; Mr. A.A. Atta, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence (Nigeria); Mr. Emilio Calderon Puig, Permanent Representative of Mexico to International Organizations, Geneva, Dr. Luis Padilla Nervo, Permanent Representative of Mexico to the UN, Head of Delegation; Mr. T.G. Narayan, Deputy Representative of the Acting UN Secretary-General; Mr. P. P. Spinelli, Director UN European Office; and Mr. William Epstein, Deputy Representative of the Acting UN Secretary General.