§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, following the announcement by Mr. Gorbachev on 19 December 1985 that the Soviet Union is prepared to allow on-site verification of potential nuclear testing sites, he will forthwith initiate a new series of talks with the Soviet Union on a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty.
§ Mr. EggarNo. Our position on re-opening negotiations for a comprehensive test ban treaty remains that outstanding verification problems would have to be resolved first.