§ Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will place in the Library copies of submissions by(a) the United Kingdom and (b) other states relevant to United Kingdom policy, to the Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, held in Geneva from 28 April; and if he will make a statement on compliance with the Treaty; [111237]
(2) what steps have been taken to implement the total elimination of nuclear weapons as agreed by the United Kingdom and the other states signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty which possess nuclear weapons, at the review and extension conference of the NPT in 2000; [111368]
(3) whether, in respect of commitments entered into in the final declaration of states party to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Review and Extension Conference in 2000, it is Her Majestys Governments objective to achieve complete nuclear disarmament; [111707]
85W(4) what progress has been made in the last five years in improving United Kingdom verification techniques in respect of nuclear weapons; [111709]
(5) in what way Her Majestys Government has implemented its commitment, made at the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty Review and Extension Conference 2000, to provide regular updates on progress towards nuclear disarmament. [111708]
Mr. Mike OBrienThe second session of the Preparatory Committee (PrepCom) to the 2005 Review Conference on the implementation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) is currently meeting in Geneva (28 April to 9 May). The UK remains fully committed to all aspects of the NPT, including global and verifiable nuclear disarmament. The Head of the UK Delegation publicly reaffirmed this commitment to states party to the NPT on 29 April. We have also reaffirmed our commitment to the Decisions and Resolution of the 1995 Review Conference and the Final Document agreed at the 2000 Review Conference. The UK has also made clear that full compliance by all States Party is central to the object and purposes of the Treaty.
At the second session of the PrepCom we also gave a comprehensive account of UK policies in all areas of implementation of the NPT. The UKs speech on 30 April set out some of the steps the UK has taken in recent years towards nuclear disarmament. The US, France, the Russian Federation and China also reported their progress and policies on implementation with their disarmament obligations.
I have placed copies of these five general statements in the Library. I will also be placing copies of all other UK speeches made at this session of the PrepCom in the Library. In due course they can be accessed through the FCO Internet site at www.fco.gov.uk.
The UK circulated a working paper at the PrepCom on its research into the verification of nuclear disarmament. The UK presented the conclusions of this interim study at a seminar on 1 May in the margins of the PrepCom. I have also placed a copy of this working paper in the Library. We anticipate publishing a further paper for the 2004 session of the PrepCom and a consolidated paper at the Review Conference in 2005.