Nuclear Non-proliferation (Hansard, 14 December 1994)

§ 2. Mr. Chisholm
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to secure an indefinite and unconditional extension of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

§ Mr. David Davis
We are working hard for the indefinite and unconditional extension in unamended form of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty in 1995. We are aiming to obtain a sizeable majority in favour.
909 As a first step, we are trying to persuade non-member states to accede to the treaty, which is already the most widely adhered to arms control treaty in history.
In addition to an on-going European Union joint action, we are lobbying moderate non-aligned movement states to convince them that indefinite and unconditional extension of the treaty is in the security interest of all states and that such an extension would send a clear message to would-be proliferators of the international community's resolve to prevent any proliferation of nuclear weapons.

§ Mr. Chisholm
How can the Government seriously argue for an indefinite and unconditional extension of the non-proliferation treaty at next year's conference when they intend to break their obligations under article 6 of the treaty by doubling their deployment of strategic nuclear warheads? Is it not an insult to the intelligence of the non-nuclear weapon states to expect them to accept that blatant hypocrisy?

§ Mr. Davis
The hon. Gentleman is consistent with his party in one thing: the continuing defiance of the facts. It is worth noting that the most significant reduction in nuclear weapons has taken place under the non-proliferation treaty as it now stands. This country has done away with maritime tactical nuclear weapons. It has reduced the number of nuclear bombs carried by aircraft, and the nuclear power of the Trident programme is broadly similar to that of its predecessor, the Polaris programme. The net effect of all that is a 25 per cent. reduction in the nuclear power that this country wields.

§ Mr. Cousins
The Minister has recognised the dangers of proliferation and the spread of tactical ballistic missile systems throughout much of the world. Can he give the House an assurance that there will be no undue cavilling about the text of the treaty and that there will be a single strong European Union position towards it with which the Government will totally identify themselves?

§ Mr. Davis
The Government will set out to get the best possible nuclear non-proliferation treaty, and will do so in a way that is constructive and seeks to get the maximum possible adherence of countries to that treaty. That is the only way in which it can be made to work.