Written question asked by Dai Davies (Independent (affiliation)) on Wednesday, 2 May 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 8 May 2007. It was answered by Kim Howells (Labour) on Monday, 14 May 2007 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 23 April 2007, Official Report, column 919W to the hon. Member for Edinburgh North and Leith, on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which states have blocked progress on the Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty.

Answer: No member state at the Conference on Disarmament (CD) objects in principle to a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT). However, some nations have been unwilling to begin negotiations on such a treaty without further progress on their own priorities, even where these are issues that do not command consensus at the CD. In particular, China has previously stated that they are not willing to begin negotiations on an FMCT until their concerns over the prevention of an arms race in space are sufficiently addressed. In March this year the current six presidencies of the CD tabled a proposal designed to address the concerns of all member states and allow negotiations on an FMCT to commence without further delay. The UK continues to support the proposal and will work hard to secure consensus for its adoption when this year’s second session of the conference begins on 14 May.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 136395; 460 c499W
Session: 2006-07
Related items: Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
Monday, 23 April 2007
Written questions
House of Commons
Subjects: Conference on Disarmament
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk