§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has received from his French counterpart following the proposed accession of France to the nuclear nonproliferation treaty in regard to French participation in nuclear disarmament negotiations as stipulated under the treaty.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydIn a statement on 3 June on arms control and disarmament, the French Government announced that nuclear disarmament remained an essential objective for France, who supported the efforts of the two super powers to reduce their nuclear arsenals. France confirmed that it would take part in the process as soon as the conditions which it stipulated in 1983 had been met.
We have welcomed France's decision in principle to accede to the NPT. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs looks forward to discussing this and related issues when he next meets Mr. Dumas.