Letter: Nuclear moratorium

Sir: The US Senate vote on Monday night to suspend nuclear weapons tests for nine months is of the greatest importance and encouragement. Already a French nuclear testing moratorium is in place. China has now signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty and may well move to its own moratorium. It is critical that our Government give a positive response now to the Senate vote.

If a US moratorium does start on 1 October, Britain will have no choice but to follow suit. As a minimum let us now make a virtue out of necessity and, 47 years after the events of August 1945, announce at least a temporary end to our testing.

There could be no clearer signal to the non-nuclear signatories of the NPT, and to those who have not signed it, that we are seriously pursuing our obligation under Article 6 to work towards 'nuclear disarmament'.

Yours faithfully,

BRUCE KENT

President

International Peace Bureau

Geneva, Switzerland

5 August