§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
What meaning they attach to the paragraph in the Clinton-Yeltsin statement on the ABM Treaty (10th May 1995): "The scale of deployment—in number and geographic scope—of theatre missile defence systems by either side will be consistent with theatre ballistic missile programmes confronting that side", in relation to the "counter-proliferation" studies and discussions being held both within NATO and bilaterally by Her Majesty's Government and the United States Administration.
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey)It is not for Her Majesty's Government to interpret the Joint Statement by the Presidents of the United States and the Russian Federation.
§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
What are the implications for non-parties to the ABM Treaty of the joint statement of the Presidents of the United States and of the Russian Federation concerning the interpretation of that treaty, and in particular what are the implications for deployment funded, or largely funded, by one of the parties to the treaty in other areas, such as the Israeli Arrow system.
§ Baroness Chalker of WallaseyWe believe that the ABM Treaty remains an important element of strategic arms control but do not consider that it has any specific implications for the deployment of missile defence systems by non-parties. However, it is not for Her Majesty's Government to interpret the Joint Statement by the Presidents of the United States and the Russian Federation.