§ Lord BROCKWAYMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what conclusions were reached at the conference of the seven nuclear exporting countries on the restriction of nuclear weapons in other countries.
§ The MINISTER of STATE, FOREIGN and COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (Lord Goronwy-Roberts)My Lords, I assume that the noble Lord is referring to the meetings last year between officials of certain countries to discuss common problems in the field of nuclear energy. By agreement these discussions were confidential. Individual Governments were, however, free to state their own policies publicly. A detailed account of Her Majesty's Governments' policy on nuclear exports was given in another place by my right honourable friend the then Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, now Prime Minister, on 31st March.
§ Lord BROCKWAYMy Lords, I appreciate the need for confidentiality in order to get certain Governments co-operating. Nevertheless, can the noble Lord say whether the reports which have leaked to the Press are accurate in suggesting that the only decisions were to ask countries receiving nuclear weapons not to use them for war purposes? Is it not now desirable that we should accept the proposals of outlawing nuclear 846 weapons altogether and having international inspection to ensure that that rule is observed?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, I cannot comment on Press reports, especially on this delicate subject. With regard to the safeguards to which my noble friend referred, certainly the whole purpose of these discussions is to strengthen and apply safeguards for the proper use of nuclear technology. So far as the question of outlawing the use of nuclear weapons is concerned, certainly this country—and I imagine most countries would agree to that if there were proper procedures of verification and inspection.
§ Lord BROCKWAYMy Lords, is it not the case that recently Mr. Gromyko, after his vist to this country, accepted international supervision and verification, and has that not been actually confirmed in negotiations on peaceful nuclear explosions held in Moscow between the United States and the Soviet Union?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, if that is so, it makes this very difficult and vital subject that much more susceptible to universal solution. We are always ready to consider with the representatives of the USSR and other countries proper and full methods of verification of disarmament.
§ Lord DRUMALBYNMy Lords, can the noble Lord say how many of the other six countries have made statements of their policies to their respective Parliaments, or elsewhere in their own countries? Is the noble Lord aware of what has been said, and, if so, can he tell the House?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS, My Lords, I am officially aware only of what the present Prime Minister, as Foreign Secretary, said on 31st March with regard to our policy. This is the procedure agreed with the other participants in these meetings, whatever the number may be. I believe that three, possibly four, others have taken the same course and have publicly stated the guidelines which they are using in this matter. Obviously at the right time we shall be exchanging with each other full information on our national policies.