§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to President Putin of Russia in respect of his recent statements on the capacity of the Russian nuclear arsenal. [118495]
§ Mr. VazWe have noted Acting President Putin's recent comments on the need for a reduced but more effective nuclear deterrent. We welcome his call for the early ratification of START H and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty; and for early negotiations on the START III treaty.
These issues were most recently discussed at senior official level during last month's annual UK-Russian strategic stability talks.