REDUCTION IN ARMS

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27963, 9 May 1956, Page 13

REDUCTION IN ARMS

British Policy Defined

(Rec 7 p.m.) LONDON, May 7. The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. Mr Anthony Nutting, replying to a question in the House of Commons. said that it was no new condition by the Government that political settlements must accompany the fulfilment of a comprehensive and drastic disarmament programme. “We are prepared to make immediate reductions on the part of the five Great Powers to 2.500 060 for the three major Powers and 750.000 for France and Britain without insisting upon anv political settlement prior to such reductions.” he said. “But we say we cannot go down to the low levels we and the Russians have envisaged without some political settlements, because that would lead to a break-up of the defence structure which has been created by the political divisions of today.” In his review of the London talks among the United States. Russia. Britain, France and Canada. Mr Nutting said they had “not made as iruch progress as we had hoped.” Tine visit of the Soviet leaders. Marshal Bulganin and Mr Khrushchev, had helped towards an understanding of the position, but unfortunately “did not solve the major difficulties.” In reply to another question. Mr Nutting said that both sides agreed that a start must be made with conventional disarmament.

But the Allied view, held most strongly bv France and the United States, was that any comprehensive disarmament programme which would take several years to fulfil—should provide for “grappling with the nuclear problem.” “But we cannot be expected to go down to the levels of comprehensive disarmament until the political problems have been resolved.”

He said that if American forces were cut to 1.500.000 the United States could no longer maintain its commitments within Europe.