Letter: Foreign policy not quite forgotten

Sir: Far be it from CND to suggest that Britain should adopt any "punching above our weight" posturing in foreign affairs (2 April) but there are important things happening out there which urgently need discussion.

To start with the easy bit: where is the promised legislation to ratify Britain's signature of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty?

Next, the first Preparatory Committee for the Non-Proliferation Review Conference begins in New York in a week's time. Britain's record on nuclear disarmament - and in particular the introduction of the Trident submarine nuclear missile system - is going to come under close and critical scrutiny.

Meanwhile in Geneva, the UN Committee on Disarmament negotiations towards a Fissile Material Cut Off Treaty are bogged down. Will Britain continue to insist on the false distinction between civil and military fissile material production?

Finally, most important of all, when are the political parties going to say anything about the dangers of Nato expansion into Eastern Europe? Can we hope to see any pre-election political heads poked above the parapet? These things will not go away just because they are ignored.

DAVE KNIGHT

Chair

Campaign for Nuclear

Disarmament

London N7