§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Britain's recent signature to the African nuclear weapons free zone treaty; and what restrictions the treaty places on the use of nuclear weapons against an African party to that treaty which has used other weapons of mass destruction. [32050]
§ Mr. David DavisThe UK signed, subject to ratification protocols 1 and 2 to the African nuclear weapons free zone treaty on 11 April. Parties to protocol 1 undertake not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against parties to the treaty. On signature, we stated that we would not be bound by this undertaking if a state party to the treaty attacked us in alliance with a nuclear weapon state, or was in breach of its own non-proliferation obligations under the treaty. Our statement also noted that compliance with international agreements to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction is vital to the maintenance of world security.