§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether North Korea is considered by Her Majesty's Government to be pursuing a strategic or sub-strategic nuclear capability.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggWe have no direct evidence that North Korea has developed a nuclear weapons capability. However, as a result of North Korea's consistent failure to co-operate fully with its IAEA safeguards agreement, the agency's director general has stated that he cannot conclude that nuclear material has not been diverted for military use in North Korea. We urge North Korea to respond positively to the statement issued by the President of the United Nations Security Council on 31 March and to comply fully with its safeguards agreement and affirm permanent commitment to the non-proliferation treaty.
§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the nuclear threat 19W posed by Israeli possession of nuclear weapons would be considered by Her Majesty's Government to be strategic or sub-strategic.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggWe have no direct evidence that Israel has developed a nuclear weapons programme, though we take seriously reports that Israel has such a programme. We believe that Israel should allay suspicions about her nuclear progamme by acceding to the non-proliferation treaty as a non-nuclear weapon state, and by concluding a full scope safeguards agreement with the IAEA.