Page 5 from FCO 661098 - Nuclear Suppliers Group 1978

In this communication from June 12, 1978, P.H. Moberly discusses the recent meeting in Stockholm regarding the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) Working Group on overlapping issues. Moberly states that from the UK's perspective, the meeting concluded satisfactorily, with all supplier governments agreeing that the NSG Guidelines do not create overlapping problems. There is no need for formal NSG machinery to resolve bilateral issues. The Working Group report does not require a reaction from the full Suppliers Group, except for them to take note of it.

Moberly mentions that the US has suggested a change in approach, proposing that instead of holding another NSG meeting, they should keep the Suppliers Group alive by circulating proposals and articles in writing to NSG governments. The implications of this change are yet to be fully considered by Whitehall. It appears that discussing the Working Group report on overlapping in a future NSG meeting is unlikely.

However, Moberly notes that the Working Group report is not considered entirely finished. The Swedish chairmen of the Working Group still need to present it to the NSG Chairmen. If they do not formally distribute copies to all the Supplier Governments, the UK may need to take that responsibility. Moberly suggests that bilateral points concerning the application of overlapping controls to UK agreements should be examined, potentially led by the Joint Nuclear Unit for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Overall, the communication indicates a positive outcome from the Stockholm meeting regarding overlapping issues within the NSG, and further considerations are required for the future direction of the NSG and the UK's bilateral agreements.