HC Deb 25 July 1991 vol 195 cc817-8W
Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it remains Her Majesty's Government's policy to support the principle of challenge inspections, anytime, anywhere, without right of refusal, for verification of the proposed chemical weapons convention.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

We continue to believe that a system of intrusive challenge inspections will represent an essential element of an effective verification regime for the future chemical weapons convention.

Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been received by Her Majesty's Government from other members of the western group of nations since the proposal on challenge inspections was made to the negotiations on the chemical weapons convention at the conference on disarmament on 15 July by Her Majesty's Government, together with Australia, Japan and the United States of America.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

We have received no formal representations from other members of the western group of nations since proposals for a challenge inspection regime for a future chemical weapons convention were tabled in the conference on disarmament on 15 July. We have been, and shall remain, in close and regular contact with the other members of the western group on this and the remaining outstanding issues in the negotiations.

Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the proposal on challenge inspections made to the negotiations on the chemical weapons convention at the conference on disarmament on the 15 July, by Her Majesty's Government, together with Australia, Japan and the United States of America.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

I am making arrangements to place in the Library a copy of CD/CW/WP 352 of 15 July, the conference on disarmament document which sets out the US proposals for a challenge inspection regime which were co-sponsored by the United Kingdom, Japan and Australia.

Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations took place between Her Majesty's Government and the other members of the western group of nations at the conference on disarmament before the proposal on challenge inspections was made to the negotiations on the chemical weapons convention at the conference on disarmament on the 15 July, by her Majesty's Government, together with Australia, Japan and the United States of America.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

There was close and regular consultation between all members of the western group of nations at the conference on disarmament (CD) before the tabling by the United States of the text of a proposed challenge inspection regime under the co-sponsorship of the United Kingdom, Japan and Australia.