§ Q15. Mr. Dribergasked the Prime Minister if, in view of President Kennedy's declaration that the United States of America will not be the first power to resume atmospheric nuclear testing, he will make a similar declaration on behalf of Her Majesty's Government, and make representations to the French Government in the hope of securing the cancellation of the proposed French tests.
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§ The Prime MinisterI can undertake that Her Majesty's Government will not conduct nuclear tests in the atmosphere so long as other States do not do so, although, as President Kennedy has said, this is no substitute for a nuclear test ban treaty. Her Majesty's Government have always hoped that the French Government would adhere to a tests ban treaty; the French Government are well aware of this and I do not think that at present it would be useful to make representations of the kind proposed.