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<p>A very wide range of views was expressed by participants at the Conference, as
reflected in the factual summary of the conference issued under the Chair’s authority.
Some argued that the way to achieve the goal of a world without nuclear weapons was
to ban weapons now, or to fix a timetable for their elimination. This approach fails
to take account of the stability and security which nuclear weapons can help to secure.
None of us would gain from a loss of that stability. The United Kingdom believes that
the UN Disarmament Machinery and the Non-Proliferation Treaty provide the right forum
for working towards a world without nuclear weapons. The UK Ambassador restated our
concern at the humanitarian consequences which could result from the use of nuclear
weapons. That is why the UK works extremely hard to prevent the use of nuclear weapons,
to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons, and to keep our own nuclear weapons
safe and secure. We are also committed to working towards a world without nuclear
weapons. We shall, however, retain a credible, continuous and submarine-based deterrent
for as long as the global security situation makes it necessary. The UK intervention
at the conference has already been published on the gov.uk website. I have also arranged
for a copy to be placed in the Library of the House.</p>
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