COMPREHENSIVE TEST BAN: TRIPARTITE TALKS

HL Deb 22 February 1982 vol 427 cc820-1WA

Lord Brockway

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the tripartite talks between the USA, the USSR and the United Kingdom on a comprehensive test ban treaty will be continued in view of the opinion of the USA that it would not reduce the threat of nuclear weapons.

Lord Carrington

On 9th February the United States representative told the Committee on Disarmament that, while a comprehensive ban on nuclear testing remained an objective of his Government, the ban would not be of assistance in present circumstances in reducing the threat of nuclear weapons or in maintaining the stability of the nuclear balance. The United States representative did not refer to the resumption of the trilateral talks, the future of which is uncertain. A comprehensive test ban remains an objective of the British Government.