Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has given consideration to the results of the international nuclear non-proliferation treaty in the drafting of proposals from the United Kingdom for a parallel international chemical weapons non-proliferation and disarmament treaty.
§ Mrs. ChalkerWhere appropriate, we draw on the experience gained in the negotiation and implementation of existing arms control agreements, including the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT).
However, we do not believe that a chemical weapons non-proliferation treaty along the lines of the NPT would effectively remove the threat of chemical weapons. With other states we are, therefore, pursuing an effectively verifiable global convention, completely prohibiting the development, production, acquisition, stockpiling or retention, and transfer of chemical weapons.