19th Special Report - Missile Misdemeanours: Russia and the INF Treaty: Government response to the Committee’s Fifteenth Report of Session 2017–19

This is the government's response, published 1 July 2019.

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The government's position is that Russia is in violation of the INF Treaty and bears responsibility for its end unless it returns to verifiable compliance, with the UK supporting the US and NATO in planning for a world without the Treaty.

• On verification, it states "We agree with the conclusions of the Committee that there is value in ongoing verification provisions", and says provisions for verification "should be fully considered during discussion of future arms control agreements".
• On reciprocal inspections, it says they "would be tantamount to a concession to Russia", and that Russia would need to address its violations before signatories would have the confidence "to contemplate a renegotiation".
• On publishing intelligence, it says it is "constrained by the need to protect sources and collection techniques" and "currently" has "no plans to declassify intelligence material" or present it to an international forum such as the UN.
• On NATO's response, it says the UK "will continue to play a full role" in NATO's assessment, and that it "will update the Committee on NATO's position following the 2 August deadline".

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