HL Deb 04 February 1993 vol 542 cc19-20WA
Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the security guarantees offered by the United States to Ukraine in the event of its government signing the Non-Proliferation Treaty differ in any way from the 1968 security guarantees offered by the United Kingdom, the United States and the Soviet Union to all non-nuclear weapons signatories; whether the 1968 guarantees have been reiterated by Russia as successor state to the Soviet Union; and whether the United Kingdom or France have been consulted or involved in the new security guarantees.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey

The answer to the first part of the question is a matter for the United States Government.

Russia has not publicly reaffirmed the security assurances issued by the former Soviet Union, in 1968, but has never suggested that she would not honour them.

The United Kingdom and France have been involved in discussion on security assurances for Ukraine. The United Kingdom is prepared to offer assurances once Ukraine has ratified the START agreement and acceded to the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.