APPENDIX 31
Memorandum submitted by Mr Peter Ford
I am writing to urge that Britain should play
a progressive and constructive role with regard to the Non Proliferation
Treaty, the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, the Fissile Material
Cut Off Treaty and the Anti Ballistic Missile Treaty, in accordance
with the Government's reiterated desire for world-wide nuclear
disarmament, and because Britain is well placed to take a lead.
It seems to me that the NPT, and particularly
Article VI, is the key to achieving a secure non-proliferation
regime. The failure of Britain, France and USA to show negotiations
in good faith on effective measures has resulted in:
India and Pakistan refusing to sign the NPT;
Russia abandoning its No First Use policy;
China modernising its nuclear arsenals;
and Iraq, Iran and North Korea aspiring to become
nuclear states.
Looking further into the coming millennium,
we shall not secure lasting Peace and Justice if the USA follows
its present declared policy of World Supremacy "by domination
of Space, in the same way that Britain controlled the seas during
the XIX century". Britain should do all in its power to secure
peaceful use of Space, and should do nothing to encourage the
development of a Ballistic Missile Defence System; for Britain,
this means opposing the development of the base at Menwith Hill.
Other recommendations for British action that
your Committee should take into account:
Unblock progress towards Fissile Material Cutoff
Treaty by allowing current stocks of plutonium to be included
Underwrite the CTBT's verification and monitoring
procedures, should the USA withdraw funds
Maintain pressure on the US Government to ratify
the CTBT
Utilise the expertise of Aldermaston to develop
effective verification and monitoring regimes, as announced in
the Strategic Defence Review.
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