§ Mr. Michieasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the graduated and reciprocated initiatives in tension reduction procedure of nuclear disarmament supported by the United Nations General Assembly.
§ Mr. Michieasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will publish the text of the review of the implementation of the recommendations and decisions adopted by the General Assembly at its tenth special session, "Unilateral Disarmament Measures: Report of the Secretary General"; and what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards this review.
§ Mr. LuceCopies of the United Nations study on unilateral nuclear disarmament measures are being placed in the Library.
We believe that this study, which was produced by four neutral and non-aligned representatives and presented to the Secretary-General, lacks balance and depth, and does not advance progress towards nuclear disarmament.
450W
§ Mr. Michieasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals the United Kingdom delegation to the Geneva conference of the United Nations Committee on Disarmament will present regarding (a) nuclear test ban, (b) cessation of the nuclear arms race and nuclear disarmament, (c) prevention of nuclear war, and (d) arrangements to assure non-nuclear weapon states against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons.
§ Mr. LuceAs United Kingdom working papers tabled at the conference on disarmament in 1983 indicated, an effective nuclear test ban is impossible without adequate verification safeguards. We are ready to continue the search for solutions at the conference in 1985. We trust others will join us.
Together with our allies, we shall play our part in the work of any ad hoc committees which the conference may decide to re-establish in 1985 on cessation of the nuclear arms race, prevention of nuclear war and arrangements to ensure non-nuclear weapons states against use or threat of use of nuclear weapons. We will pursue any proposal which makes a practical contribution to progress on arms control.
§ Mr. Michieasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures his Department is taking to provide United Nations General Assembly resolution 38/73E about an immediate bilateral nuclear arms freeze either independently or through a joint declaration.
§ Mr. LuceThe United Nations General Assembly resolution to which the hon. Member refers is directed at the United States and the Soviet Union. It requests them to report to the General Assembly on the implementation of a bilateral nuclear arms freeze. The questions of a United Kingdom report does not arise.
We and our allies did not support this resolution. A freeze would perpetuate the present imbalance in favour of the Soviet Union and would remove the incentive for the Russians to negotiate reductions; adequate verification would also be extremely difficult.