§ Mr. Chapmanasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the second United Nations special session on disarmament.
§ Mr. PymThe United Kingdom played a full part in the work of the special session which finished on 10 July. Agreement was not possible on the substantive disarmament items on the agenda—namely a review of progress since the first special session in 1978 and a comprehensive programme of disarmament—but we believe that the discussions have been helpful in increasing understanding of the issues. Priority should now be given to making progress on the important negotiations under way elsewhere: on intermediate-range nuclear forces, strategic arms reductions, for mutual and balanced force reductions, and a convention banning chemical weapons.
The special session agreed on the guidelines for a world disarmament campaign, under the auspices of the United Nations, which we believe will help to ensure that the campaign can operate in all parts of the world.