§ 52. Mr. George Robertsonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to respond to Mr. Gorbachev's recent proposals on the reduction and elimination of nuclear weapons.
§ Mr. RentonMr. Gorbachev's proposals of 15 January were conveyed to us in a message to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, who expects to reply soon.
§ 64. Mr. Nicholas Brownasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Gorbachev proposals for the reduction and elimination of nuclear weapons.
§ Mr. RentonMy right hon. Friend the Prime Minister expects to reply to Mr. Gorbachev soon. His proposals contain nothing new in the field of strategic nuclear arms reductions. The Soviet position over intermediate range nuclear missiles has changed; the United States took account of the change in new proposals tabled at the bilateral Geneva negotiations on 24 February. It may be possible to build on Mr. Gorbachev's recognition of the legitimacy of Western concerns over verification.