§ 30. Mr. SymsTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with the United States Administration on proposed anti-missile defence systems. [149732]
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§ Mr. VazMy right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary recently held discussions in Washington with Vice-President Cheney, National Security Adviser Rice and Secretary of State Powell on a range of issues including National Missile Defence.
These discussions, and those my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister had last week with President Bush, clearly demonstrated the constructive approach being taken by the Bush Administration. The US Administration reaffirmed their commitment to a National Missile defence system but stressed their willingness to take their time to consult Allies, Russia and others. They confirmed that no decision had yet been made on the development or deployment of a specific system. It is therefore too early to assess any implications for the UK.