§ 10. Mr. Healeyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what official representations he has made to the Governments concerned with a view to securing that the British, United States and Soviet Governments should jointly present a draft international convention banning nuclear test explosions to the next session of the General Assembly of the United Nations.
§ Mr. ProfumoThe agreement under negotiation at Geneva is already in the form of a multilateral treaty suitable for accession by other parties. It would be premature to say precisely what action will be taken to invite such accession once a treaty has been achieved.
§ Mr. HealeyCan the Minister of State tell us whether the British Government and the other two Governments now negotiating on this matter at Geneva consider that the duration and validity of the agreement which they signed should be dependent on the accession of other Governments?
§ Mr. ProfumoNo, Sir, not necessarily.
§ Mr. BevanWould not the situation be ironic if the three Governments concerned signed an agreement of this sort and then other nations proceeded to hold tests? Would not that have the effect to some extent of invalidating their decision?
§ Mr. ProfumoIt is the hope of Her Majesty's Government that other nations will join in with this.
§ 17. Mr. Boydasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will give an assurance to the House that the United Kingdom will not resume nuclear test explosions following a French explosion, but will seek negotiations with France for an agreement that both countries refrain from further such tests.
§ Mr. ProfumoI can assure the hon. Member that a nuclear test explosion by France would not in itself be a cause for Her Majesty's Government to resume testing. As regards the second part of the Question, as my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said on 9th July, our first objective should be to get an agreement with America and Russia to which we should then try to get other countries to accede.