PRESS RELEASE

CND welcomes confirmation of Government's new emphasis on need for global nuclear disarmament

24 July 2007: for immediate release

The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament today welcomed the statement by Foreign Office Minister Meg Munn confirming a new emphasis in Government nuclear policy, stressing the importance of disarmament by established nuclear weapons states, as well as the prioritisation of counter-proliferation favoured by the previous government.

Margaret Beckett announced the shift away from prioritising only counter-proliferation in her final days as Foreign Secretary in a speech in Washington, said to have been approved by Gordon Brown. But today marked the first time that a minister in the new administration has confirmed this to be the ongoing policy.

Speaking in a Westminster Hall adjournment debate earlier today Parliamentary Undersecretary of State Meg Munn MP said “Any solution must be a dual one that sees movement on both proliferation and disarmament - a revitalisation, in other words, of the grand bargain struck in 1968, when the Non-Proliferation Treaty was established." i.e. disarmament by existing nuclear weapons states in exchange for other states renouncing the development of such weapons.

Seemingly stating that the new government values Trident as a bargaining chip, more than for its military potential, she stated, “We are clear that when it becomes useful to include in any negotiations the one per cent of the world's nuclear weapons that belong to the UK, we will willingly do so."

Kate Hudson, Chair of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, said, “CND welcomes the Minister’s comments. This confirmation of Margaret Beckett’s speech reflects a move by the Government towards taking multilateral disarmament more seriously. Meg Munn’s comment that the UK is willing to put all our nuclear weapons ‘on the table’ if it helps negotiations is a significant change from the position held during the Trident debate in March. At that time we were told they are a vital insurance policy against yet-to-emerge threats. Now there seems to be recognition that continued failure to disarm can have consequences for proliferation.

She continued, “Now we need action to kickstart multilateral talks. A key part of this is promoting disarmament between the US and Russia, and essential to that is pulling back from the Missile Defence system. This is a block on arms-control talks and an obstacle to constructive dialogue between the two major nuclear powers. Genuine dialogue will be a step on the way to our ultimate goal - a Nuclear Weapons Convention banning all such weapons.”

ends

Notes to Editors:

1. For further information and interviews please contact Ben Soffa, CND's Press & Communications Officer, on 0207 7002350 or 07968 420859 2. According to a July 2006 ICM poll, 59% of the British public opposes a replacement of Trident when presented with a cost of at least £25 billion. Click here for a full copy of the poll.

3. The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) is one of Europe’s biggest single-issue peace campaigns, with over 35,000 members in the UK. CND campaigns for the abolition of all nuclear weapons everywhere. www.cnduk.org

4. Margaret Beckett’s speech of 25th June.

5. Selected quotes from Meg Munn MP’s speech are as follows: "Any solution must be a dual one that sees movement on both proliferation and disarmament - a revitalisation, in other words, of the grand bargain struck in 1968, when the Non-Proliferation Treaty was established."

"Our efforts on non-proliferation will be dangerously undermined if others believe - however unfairly - that the terms of the grand bargain have changed. That means that we need more than just an exemplary record on disarmament to date. As the former Foreign Secretary made clear in her speech in Washington, we need a renewed commitment to a world free from nuclear weapons, and a convincing forward plan."

"We will continue to call for significant further reductions in the major Russian and US nuclear arsenals. We hope that the existing bilateral treaties will be succeeded by further clear commitments to significantly lower numbers of warheads - and include tactical as well as strategic nuclear weapons. And we are clear that when it becomes useful to include in any negotiations the one per cent of the world's nuclear weapons that belong to the UK, we will willingly do so."

"Finally, we have also announced a series of unilateral activities that the UK will undertake as a "Disarmament Laboratory". We will participate in a new project by the International Institute of Strategic Studies on the practical steps required for the elimination of nuclear weapons. And we will undertake further detailed work at the UK's Atomic Weapons Establishment on the "nuts and bolts" of nuclear disarmament. This will examine three discrete issues related to the verification of disarmament: the authentication of warheads; chain of custody problems in sensitive nuclear weapons facilities; and monitored storage of dismantled nuclear weapons."

"Two words in Article Six are particularly key: "good faith". The UK's record is one of good faith disarmament. That is why we are recognised as the most forward-leaning of the nuclear weapons states. I have described today our determination to reinvigorate the global approach to nuclear disarmament, and the practical steps that we are taking to help achieve a world free from nuclear weapons. It should be clear that this government is acting, and will continue to act, in the utmost good faith in fulfilling our disarmament obligations under the NPT."

Ben Soffa , Press Officer
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND)
Registered office: Mordechai Vanunu House, 162 Holloway Road, London N7 8DQ
Tel: 020 7700 2393 Mob: 07968 420 859 Fax: 020 7700 2357 Web: www.cnduk.org

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