§ Mrs. MahonTo ask the Prime Minister (1) if he will discuss with President Bush unilateral proposals by the Rumsfeld Commission to delete article IX of the 1972 ABM treaty; [323]
(2) if he will have discussions with President Bush on a co-operative approach with Russia and China on Strategic Missile Defence. [324]
§ The Prime MinisterI will continue to engage constructively with President Bush across the range of issues relating to his ideas for limited missile defence systems and a new strategic framework. The President has made no decisions on specific missile defence systems or their deployment and is currently engaged in wide-ranging international consultation with allies, Russia, China and others on his ideas.
§ Mrs. MahonTo ask the Prime Minister if he will discuss with President Bush the concept of invulnerability through military supremacy in relation to the weaponisation of space. [325]
178W
§ The Prime MinisterI have no plans to do so. I believe that the conference on disarmament is the appropriate forum for discussion of issues relating to the military use of space, and support the creation of an ad hoc committee to discuss the prevention of an arms race in outer space.
§ Mrs. MahonTo ask the Prime Minister if he will discuss with President Putin the potential for the US policy on national missile defence to include a first strike capability. [327]
§ The Prime MinisterThe US has made it clear that missile defence is envisaged as one element of a comprehensive strategy to deal with a new threat caused by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. It is not aimed at defending against the Russian strategic arsenal, still less at giving the United States the capacity to attack Russia. President Bush has made it clear that it no longer considers Russia an enemy. I have discussed missile defence and related issues with President Putin on a number of occasions, and expect to continue to do so.
§ Mrs. MahonTo ask the Prime Minister (1) what assessment he has made of the impact of UK participation in US national missile defence on the(a) global moratorium on nuclear testing and (b) prospects of a Comprehensive Test B m Treaty coming into force; [317]
(2) what assessment he has made of the consequences of British participation in national missile defence for the 1993 strategic arms reduction treaty, START 2 and the START regime. [320]
§ The Prime MinisterPresident Bush has made no decisions on specific missile defence systems or their deployment and we therefore do not know what UK participation may be sought. The US is also currently engaged in a wide-ranging international consultation process, including with Russia. On both counts it is therefore premature to make such an assessment.
§ Mrs. MahonTo ask the Prime Minister if he will discuss with the Secretary General of the UN, President Bush's proposal for a first test of a space-based laser in 2012. [319]
§ The Prime MinisterI have no plans to do so.
§ Mrs. MahonTo ask the Prime Minister if he will propose to the Presidents of(a) China, (b) France, (c) Russia and (d) the United States of America that the 1967 outer space treaty cover directed energy and laser weapons. [321]
§ The Prime MinisterI have no plans to make such a proposal.
§ Mrs. MahonTo ask the Prime Minister if he will discuss with President Bush the restructuring of the missile technology control regime in relation to political initiatives based on arms control and confidence-building measures. [322]
§ The Prime MinisterWe remain fully committed to the MTCR and have regular contacts with MTCR partners, including the US, to maintain and strengthen the regime and ensure it remains effective in the fight against the proliferation of long-range missiles capable of carrying weapons of mass destruction. The MTCR will continue to be a mainstay of the effort to combat missile proliferation, alongside complementary political 179W initiatives such as the draft international code of conduct against ballistic missile proliferation in which the United Kingdom is also playing a key role.
§ Mrs. MahonTo ask the Prime Minister if he will discuss the position of modifications of non-ABM radars on UK territory with(a) Washington and (b) Moscow. [326]
§ The Prime MinisterI have no plans to do so.
§ Mrs. MahonTo ask the Prime Minister what discussions he had with President Bush before he made his speech on 1 May 2000 about the future of the 1972 ABM treaty. [333]
§ The Prime MinisterI have discussed missile defence and related issues including the ABM treaty with President Bush on several occasions, both at our meeting at Camp David on 23 February and subsequently.
§ Mrs. MahonTo ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the dangers faced by the United Kingdom as a target for foreign powers, as a result of acquiescing in the construction of two new radomes at Menwith Hill. [334]
§ The Prime MinisterTwo radomes have been constructed at RAF Menwith Hill as part of the European relay ground station for the space based infra red system, which is designed to detect the launch of ballistic missiles. This updates an existing system. We assess that the implications for the security of the UK have not significantly changed.
§ Mrs. MahonTo ask the Prime Minister what (1) discussions he has had with President Bush about the facilities to receive information for early warning and missile-tracking satellites at Menwith Hill ground relay station; [335]
(2) what discussions he has had with President Bush about the installation of X Band Radar at Fylingdales operating in the X-Ray Band of the electromagnetic spectrum; [337]
(3) what discussions he has had with President Bush for forward-deployed radars in relation to National Missile Defence. [315]
§ The Prime MinisterNone. As President Bush and I both made clear following our meeting at Camp David on 23 February, the US Administration has not yet decided how it will seek to deploy missile defences. That remains the case.
§ Mrs. MahonTo ask the Prime Minister if he will set up a Royal Commission to examine the consequences and implications of British participation in the extension of war-fighting into space. [318]
§ The Prime MinisterNo.
§ Mr. CatonTo ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the economic and political implications of British participation in the US National Missile Defence system. [2298]
§ The Prime MinisterThe US has not yet decided how it will seek to proceed with missile defence and has not put forward specific proposals for UK involvement. We have made clear we would consider any such proposals180W carefully taking into account all relevant factors in light of circumstances at the time, including their implications for the UK.