§ 45. Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if, in view of Great Britain's support for the agreement banning nuclear test explosions in the atmosphere, he will, either through the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation or through the talks at Geneva, ask the United States Government not to proceed with building an anti-ballistic missile system, which would amongst other objections require atmospheric tests.
§ Mr. MulleyThe United States Secretary of Defence, Mr. McNamara, has stated publicly that the anti-ballistic missile system will not require atmospheric nuclear tests.
§ Mr. AllaunHow is it credible that one can test an anti-ballistic missile system without an atomic explosion in the atmosphere? It just does not add up.
§ Mr. MulleyI hope that my hon. Friend is wrong in his assessment that it will be necessary for either the United States or the Soviet Union Governments, as part of their anti-ballistic development, to break the partial test ban treaty to 927 which both are signatories. I do not accept easily that one's allies, in a matter of this kind, will behave in that way.