Disarmament

HC Deb 24 July 1987 vol 120 cc570-1W

Mr. Flynn

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to initiate nuclear disarmament negotiations under the stipulated provisions of article VI of the 1968 nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

Mr. Mellor

Article VI of the non-proliferation treaty requires each of the parties to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to the cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament, and on a treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control.

The fact that there are presently no nuclear arms control negotiations in which the United Kingdom participates does not imply lack of good faith on our part. As the House knows, we support the objectives of the current US/Soviet nuclear and space talks.

Mr. Amess

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current situation of the MBFR talks.

Mr. Mellor

We continue to take a full and active part in the negotiations in Vienna on mutual and balanced force reductions. Progress has been disappointing owing to the unwillingness of the Warsaw pact to provide adequate data on force levels or to respond to Western proposals on verification. We shall continue to press the Warsaw pact to respond positively to the Western proposal of December 1985 in which we made a constructive attempt to break the long-standing deadlock by offering to accept reductions in the United States and Soviet troops before agreement on force levels.

Mr. Flynn

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what nuclear disarmament negotiations have been undertaken within the provisions of article VI of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (a) since its inception and (b) since May 1979.

Mr. Mellor

The following nuclear arms control negotiations have been undertaken since the nuclear non-proliferation treaty entered into force in 1970:

1. (1) Since 1970, seabed arms control treaty; strategic arms limitation talks (I and II) including the 1972 anti-ballistic missile treaty; threshold test ban treaty; treaty on peaceful nuclear explosions; 1977–1980 trilateral (USA/United Kingdom/USSR) negotiations on a comprehensive test ban treaty.
2. (2) Since May 1979, 1981–83 Geneva intermediate nuclear force talks; 1982–83 Geneva START talks; 1985—present nuclear and space talks.