Page 4 from FCO 06_1331 - nuclear suppliers group

The document is a record of a conversation between the author and Mr. Watts regarding the status of agreements signed with other countries. Here are the key points:

1. The author expressed concern about the binding nature of agreements signed with other countries, such as the NSG Guidelines, which are published in the Treaty Series and registered with the UN. They questioned if there was a middle ground between this and a non-binding understanding.

2. Mr. Watts stated that there is a legal obligation to register agreements, citing Article 102 of the UN Charter. He emphasized that the key factor is the terms in which the agreement is drafted, as it determines whether it creates binding rights and obligations in international law.

3. The author highlighted that other countries, such as France and Germany, seemed to have a different approach, treating their agreements as both binding and confidential.

4. Mr. Watts explained that HMG's policy is to abide by international obligations, particularly those under the UN Charter. However, other countries may have a different interpretation of what constitutes a "treaty" or an "international agreement."

Overall, the conversation focused on the distinction between binding agreements and non-binding understandings and the varying approaches taken by different countries in terms of registration and publication of agreements with the UN.