NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY: INTERPRETATION

HL Deb 06 July 1993 vol 547 cc49-50WA

Lord Jenkins of Putney

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is their legal interpretation of Article 1 of the United Nations Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey)

Under Article 1 of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty:

"Each nuclear weapon State Party to the Treaty undertakes not to transfer to any recipient whatsoever nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices or control over such weapons or explosive devices directly, or indirectly; and not in any way to assist, encourage, or induce any non-nuclear weapons State to manufacture or otherwise acquire nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices, or control over such weapons or explosive devices."