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RARATONGA PROTOCOLS ON THE NUCLEAR FREE ZONE. COULD YOU EXPLAIN
SIR GEOFFREY WHY BRITAIN TAKES THIS ATTITUDE?
SIR GEOFFREY: WELL I THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO
UNDERSTAND THAT WE DID NOT FIND THIS AN EASY DECISION. IT WASN'T
A DECISION WE TOOK LIGHTLY. WE DID TAKE ACCOUNT, AS WE SHOULD OF
COURSE, OF THE INTERESTS OF OUR FRIENDS AND PARTNERS IN THE SOUTH
PACIFIC. WE UNDERSTAND THEIR APPROACH AND THEIR CONCERNS. BUT
WE HAD ALSO TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF OUR POSITION AS ONE OF THE LEADING
MEMBERS OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC ALLIANCE. ALLIES WITH THE UNITED
STATES AND FRANCE, THE THREE NUCLEAR POWERS IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC
ALLIANCE. WE HAD TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE RATHER DIFFERENT
POTENTIAL IMPACT OF A NUCLEAR FREE ZONE CONCEPT HERE IN EUROPE
AND THE IMPORTANCE THAT WE ATTACHED TO PRESERVING OUR NUCLEAR CAPABILITY. AND BALANCING THOSE THINGS TOGETHER, WE DIDN'T THINK
THAT WE COULD OR SHOULD ON THIS DAY SIGN THE PROTOCOL.
INT: SO YOU WOULD NOT AGREE WITH THOSE WHO SAY THAT ALL THOSE
POINTS ARE OUTWEIGHED BY THE MILEAGE THAT THE SOVIET UNION CAN
MAKE OUT OF IT BY GOING ALONG WITH THESE PROTOCOLS AND BY
EXPLOITING THE SITUATION NOW CREATED TO EXPAND THEIR INFLUENCE IN
OTHER WAYS, BY COMMERCIAL TREATIES, FOR EXAMPLE.
SIR GEOFFREY: NO I WOULD NOT GO ALONG WITH THAT. IT IS IMPORTANT
THAT PEOPLE SHOULD NOT OVERLOOK THE REALITIES OF THE SOVIETS'
POSITION. THEY SHOULD BE CAREFUL NOT TO ALLOW THE ARGUMENTS TO
BE EXPLOITED IT IN THAT WAY. THE SOVIET UNION IS A MASSIVE
NUCLEAR POWER WITH ITS OWN CONTINUOUS TESTING PROGRAMME. IT
SHOULD BE SEEN AS SUCH AND PEOPLE SHOULD ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT WE
HAVE NO INTENTION OF ENGAGING IN NUCLEAR TESTS IN THE SOUTH
PACIFIC. PITCAIRN IS THE ONLY TERRITORY FOR WHICH WE HAVE
RESPONSIBILITY THERE.
CERTAINLY WE WOULD NOT WANT TO USE IT FOR
TESTING OR STORAGE OR DEPLOYMENT OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS. SO IN THE
SPIRIT OF WHAT CONCERNS OUR FRIENDS IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC, I THINK
BUT WE CAN'T ACTUALLY GO ALONG WITH THE
WE ARE ALONG SIDE THEM.
CONCEPT IN FULL.
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