§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why, in view of its obligations under article VI of the non-proliferation treaty, the United Kingdom is not directly involved in the Geneva nuclear arms reductions talks.
§ Mr. LuceThe United Kingdom is committed to all articles of the treaty and fully supports the aim of the Geneva talks to prevent an arms race in space and terminate it on earth. As I told the Geneva conference on disarmament on 12 March,
The Soviet Union and the United States possess between them the overwhelming preponderance of nuclear weapons and by far the greatest capability for the military use of space. It is therefore universally recognised that the primary responsibility for negotiations in these fields must fall to these two powers.