Britain opts for transparency on nuclear weapons
Source: Agencies |
May 27, 2010, Thursday
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BRITAIN announced for the first time yesterday that it had set a limit on its nuclear weapons stockpile, at 225 warheads, and said it would re-examine its nuclear-weapon policy.
The announcement, timed to coincide with a United Nations nuclear non-proliferation conference in New York, reflects a drive by Britain's new Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government to be more open about the country's nuclear arsenal.
Previously, Britain had only made public the number of operationally available nuclear warheads for its Trident missile-armed submarine fleet, and had given no figure for the overall stockpile.
"For the first time, the government will make public the maximum number of nuclear warheads thatthe UK will hold in its stockpile," Foreign Secretary William Hague told parliament. "In the futureour overall stockpile will not exceed 225 nuclear warheads."
The ceiling on operationally available nuclear warheads would stay at 160, he said.
The extra warheads were to allow for "processing, maintenance and logistic management."
Hague said the new government would review Britain's policy on when it would consider using nuclear weapons as part of a wide-ranging defense and security overhaul launched by the new government.
Britain had long said it would only consider using nuclear weapons in "extreme circumstances" of self-defence, including the defense of NATO allies, but had been deliberately ambiguous over the precise circumstances of use, he said.
"We've decided that the time is right to look again at our policy as the US has done in their recent Nuclear Posture Review to ensure that it is fully appropriate to the political and security context in 2010 and beyond," Hague said.
Defense Secretary Liam Fox said Britain remained committed to its nuclear deterrent.
Hague said he hoped his announcement would help build trust between nuclear- and non-nuclear weapon states.
The announcement, timed to coincide with a United Nations nuclear non-proliferation conference in New York, reflects a drive by Britain's new Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government to be more open about the country's nuclear arsenal.
Previously, Britain had only made public the number of operationally available nuclear warheads for its Trident missile-armed submarine fleet, and had given no figure for the overall stockpile.
"For the first time, the government will make public the maximum number of nuclear warheads thatthe UK will hold in its stockpile," Foreign Secretary William Hague told parliament. "In the futureour overall stockpile will not exceed 225 nuclear warheads."
The ceiling on operationally available nuclear warheads would stay at 160, he said.
The extra warheads were to allow for "processing, maintenance and logistic management."
Hague said the new government would review Britain's policy on when it would consider using nuclear weapons as part of a wide-ranging defense and security overhaul launched by the new government.
Britain had long said it would only consider using nuclear weapons in "extreme circumstances" of self-defence, including the defense of NATO allies, but had been deliberately ambiguous over the precise circumstances of use, he said.
"We've decided that the time is right to look again at our policy as the US has done in their recent Nuclear Posture Review to ensure that it is fully appropriate to the political and security context in 2010 and beyond," Hague said.
Defense Secretary Liam Fox said Britain remained committed to its nuclear deterrent.
Hague said he hoped his announcement would help build trust between nuclear- and non-nuclear weapon states.
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