HL Deb 16 October 1984 vol 455 cc971-2
Lord Jenkins of Putney

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, having regard to their commitment to the prevention of an arms race in outer space through negotiation and mutual restraint (Official Report, 30th July, c. 638), they will support a moratorium on the testing of anti-satellite and other outer-space weapons as an example of restraint and so that negotiations may begin on a basis which has a chance of leading to agreement.

Lord Trefgarne

We believe there should be no preconditions to US/Soviet talks, and regret the Soviet refusal to participate in talks in Vienna which they themselves proposed. We hope that such discussions would show that conditions exist for negotiating balanced and verifiable limitations on anti-satellite weapons. We note that President Reagan has said that the United States would consider what measures of restraint both sides might take while negotiations proceed. We welcome the continuing and unconditional willingness of the United States to discuss with the Russians research programmes on strategic defence and to resume negotiations on offensive nuclear weapons.