HC Deb 18 February 1987 vol 110 cc692-3W
42. Mr. Chapman

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress at the various security confidence-building and disarmament conferences under way.

61. Mr. Merchant

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the East-West arms control negotiations in Geneva.

Mr. Renton

The current round of the Geneva nuclear and space talks began on 15 January and has several weeks still to run. It would not be appropriate to comment on the progress of the talks at present. The negotiations for a comprehensive ban on chemical weapons resumed on 3 February.

In December last year, we and our NATO allies proposed distinct negotiations on conventional arms control, one on confidence building, the other on conventional stability in Europe.

44. Mr. Boyes

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the latest progress of the proposed chemical weapons compromise suggested by Her Majesty's Government at the conference on disarmament in Geneva.

Mr. Renton

As I told the hon. Member on 3 December 1986, the reaction of other delegations to the conference on disarmament has been generally encouraging. We have particularly welcomed a number of public expressions of support. The United Kingdom proposals continue to be the subject of detailed discussion among delegations in Geneva.

Mr. Strang

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the recent approach from the Warsaw Treaty Organisation to discuss reductions in conventional forces; and whether Her Majesty's Government have forwarded any new proposals on NATO-Warsaw Treaty Organisation conventional disarmament.

Mr. Renton

At the meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers in Brussels last December my right hon. and learned Friend and my NATO colleagues put forward proposals calling for the opening of East/West negotiations to enhance conventional stability in the whole of Europe. Contacts between representatives on NATO and Warsaw pact countries on a mandate for these negotiations began on 17 February in Vienna.