Israel: Nuclear Weapon Status

HL Deb 26 June 1995 vol 565 c37WA

Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they now recognise Israel as a nuclear weapons state and, if not, why not.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey

We have been concerned for some time about reports that Israel may have a nuclear weapons programme. We continue to urge Israel to allay these suspicions by acceding to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as a non-nuclear-weapon state and concluding a full-scope safeguards agreement with the IAEA.

The only nuclear-weapon states recognised under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty are those which had manufactured and exploded a nuclear weapon or other nuclear explosive device prior to 1 January 1967; i.e., UK, US, France, China and Russia.