§ Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Lord Privy Seal if the Government will, unless already satisfied as a result of the discussions of the negative security assurances in the United Nations Committee on Disarmament, seek to confirm that the Soviet pledge of 26 May 1978, reaffirmed 92W by President Brezhnev on 6 November 1979, is considered by that country to be a binding and operative assurance in favour of all States which neither produce, acquire nor harbour nuclear weapons on their territory, irrespective of any proposed bilateral agreements or international convention.
§ Mr. HurdSoviet statements on this point in the Committee on Disarmament and elsewhere have been unclear. Our representative at the Committee on Disarmament will continue to seek clarification.
§ Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Lord Privy Seal whether the negative security assurance constitutes a pledge by the United Kingdom not to use nuclear weapons against any country which, neither possessing nor harbouring such weapons, has not the means to retaliate in kind even where such a country is involved in non-nuclear hostilities with the United Kingdom or her allies.
§ Mr. HurdHer Majesty's Government believe that our assurance is quite clear. It applies to non-nuclear weapon States which are parties to the non-proliferation treaty or other internationally binding commitments not to manufacture or acquire nuclear explosive devices; except in the case of an attack on the United Kingdom, its dependent territories, its Armed Forces or its allies by such a State in association or alliance with a nuclear weapon State.