Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and nuclear disarmament inquiry

Published 4 July 2019.

The government says the Non-Proliferation Treaty "continues to be, a significant success" and that it is committed to "gradual multilateral disarmament" "as the security situation allows", while it does not feel further unilateral disarmament would be appropriate.

• On Russia, the government "agrees NATO should continue to engage in dialogue with Russia, when it is appropriate and in our interests to do so", but says dialogue with it is not "business as usual" until there is a "clear, constructive change in Russia's actions".
• It does not agree with moving Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty negotiations outside the Conference on Disarmament, because "consensus rule offers protection" to states' national security interests.
• On the review of the nuclear deterrent's resilience to cyber and other threats, it says it has "robust measures in place" but that it "is not Government policy to comment on specific security measures".
• On the 2020 Review Conference, it "will consider UK representation nearer the time" at a high-level segment, and "intends to engage fully" with the US disarmament initiative, sending two senior officials to its first meeting in Washington in July 2019.

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