§ Mr. CryerTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, following the failed military coup in the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom has pursued discussions with its two fellow depository states for the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, the United States and Soviet Union, over the legality of the proposed transfer of control of Soviet nuclear weapons to the Russian Federation, in the context of the provisions of article 1 of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggWe are not aware of any formal proposal of this nature.
§ Mr. CryerTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the outcome of the meeting in Vienna in September between the ambassadors to the International Atomic Energy Agency of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and the Secretary General of the IAEA on the issue of future nuclear non-proliferation controls.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggVienna-based representatives of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council met the director general of the IAEA on a number of occasions in September to discuss a wide range of issues including the strengthening of the international nuclear non-proliferation regime. The ambassadors and the IAEA agreed on the need to consult closely on the issue of new safeguards approaches in preparation for thorough discussion at forthcoming meetings of the IAEA board of governors.