§ Q21. Sir T. Beamishasked the Prime Minister in what circumstances the United Kingdom is pledged to defend any countries which are not members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, the Central Treaty Organisation or the South-East Asia Treaty Organisation agreements; and whether such assurances include specific promises to defend any countries against a threat of nuclear blackmail or against nuclear attack.
§ The Prime MinisterApart from arrangements under the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, the Central Treaty Organisation and the South-East Asia Treaty Organisation, Her Majesty's Government have defence commitments to a number of countries under bilateral treaties. The circumstances in which we are obliged to come to the defence of the countries concerned are set out in these treaties. In general, they amount to a commitment to offer assistance against an external attack. In no case do the various assurances provided in these treaties include specific reference to nuclear blackmail or nuclear attack.