Non-proliferation Treaty (Hansard, 27 November 1990)

§ Mr. Cohen
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the implications for the 1995 extension conference of the non-proliferation treaty of the lack of a final document from the fourth review conference.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
The lack of a final document did not prevent the review conference from endorsing the continuing importance of the non-proliferation treaty for world security. We hope that the conference in 1995 will take a similarly positive line.

§ Mr. Cohen
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the fourth review conference of the non-proliferation treaty.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
The NPT review conference was conducted in a positive atmosphere; there was wide support for the treaty's objectives and agreement was reached on most issues. It is to be regretted that consensus on a final document was blocked by one delegation, but the conference nevertheless achieved a full review of the operation of the treaty and demonstrated its continuing importance as a cornerstone of world security.

§ Mr. Flynn
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will indicate if any commitments were made to any of the 37 nongovernmental organisations invited to the off-the-record briefing referred to in his answer of 31 October 1990,Official Report, column 564, to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, East (Mr. Strang) to clarify in writing matters not resolved during the meeting of 23 October.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
As the hon. Gentleman has recognised, the meeting was off the record.

§ Mr. Flynn
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out the reasons why the United Kingdom Government considered it inappropriate for preparatory meetings for the 1995 nuclear non-proliferation treaty to begin in 1991 and the alternative proposals tabled by the three nuclear non-proliferation depository powers including the United Kingdom.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
The preparatory committee deals with administrative arrangements for the review conference, and we see no need for it to meet as early as 1991. For 337W the alternative proposal by the depository powers, I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the then Minister of State to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas) on 18 October, at column 901.