§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean on 22 March (WA 122), whether they now recognise the bilateral strategic defence agreement between the United States and Israel which 90WA was signed alongside the Wye Valley Agreement between the US, Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organisation in which the United States undertook to enhance Israel's "deterrent capabilities"; and whether they consider that such an enhancement would be compatible with Article 1 of the Non-proliferation Treaty. [HL2162]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanThe fact that the United States and Israel have signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a forum to discuss means of enhancing Israel's defence capabilities is a matter of public record. Under Article I of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, nuclear weapon states party to the treaty undertake 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 weapon state to manufacture or otherwise acquire nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices or control over such weapons or explosive devices. We have been assured by the Government of the United States that there is no inconsistency between the memorandum and US obligations under Article I of the NPT.