Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 15 Jun 2000

Vol. 521 No. 3

Written Answers. - Nuclear Treaty.

Gay Mitchell

Question:

67 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Government has expressed its concern to the United States Government regarding its proposed National Missile Defence (NMD) plan and the threat such a development would pose to the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty. [16905/00]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Cowen)

The Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty is a cornerstone of nuclear arms reductions and nuclear disarmament. Any step which would undermine this treaty could result in a resumption of the nuclear arms race. It was with this perspective in mind that Ireland last autumn supported a resolution which underlined the need to uphold this treaty.

At the recently concluded sixth review conference of the states parties to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty the states parties emphasised the need to preserve and strengthen the ABM Treaty as a cornerstone of strategic stability and as a basis for further reductions of strategic offensive weapons, in accordance with its provisions.

The United States and the Russian Federation, the two parties to the ABM Treaty, continue to discuss the issue of US proposals for the development and deployment of a national missile defence. We strongly hope that the outcome of these negotiations will not result in an erosion of the ABM Treaty or the principles on which it is based. Attempts by one or other nuclear weapon state to achieve invulnerability would be counterproductive and could lead to a new arms race. The nuclear weapon states have recently committed themselves unequivocally to accomplish the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals, leading to nuclear disarmament to which all states parties are committed under article VI of the NPT. This is the route on which they must proceed.