§ 2. Mr. Warbeyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what discussions he has had with the Governments of the United States of America, France and other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation countries with a view to preventing the handing over of nuclear weapons to Germany.
§ The Joint Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr. R. H. Turton)There is no proposal to hand nuclear weapons to Western Germany and, therefore, no discussions have been held.
§ Mr. WarbeyYes, but is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that, during the debate on the Paris Agreements, the 1005 Foreign Secretary said that this would be a matter for discussion between the countries concerned? Do not the Government propose to initiate such discussions, or are they indifferent to the question whether or not Germany is supplied with nuclear weapons?
§ Mr. TurtonWhat was said during the debate on 18th November last year, to which I think the hon. Gentleman is referring, was said by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, who explained that the proposal for equipping the Federal Republic with nuclear weapons would be known in advance both to the Western European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, and that both organisations would, therefore, have the full right and opportunity to express their views on this subject.
§ Mr. PagetSurely the position is that N.A.T.O. has control of the atomic armaments of the Atlantic Community, that these divisions are N.A.T.O. divisions and that it is a N.A.T.O. decision as to what ammunition it sends and where?
§ Mr. TurtonThat, I think, is accurate.