CND has slammed Pentagon plans to scrap a Cold War-era treaty and deploy nuclear missiles in Europe. Reports emerged over the weekend that the US government is considering this option as part of a review of its policy towards Russia in response to the situation in Ukraine.
In response, the UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond did not rule out these weapons coming to Britain.
CND General Secretary Kate Hudson said:
‘Frankly, these proposals are a disaster, which would risk the lives of millions of people. The US government seems intent on harking back to Cold War means of resolving their disputes, rather than pursue diplomatic methods.
‘We welcome Hammond’s note of caution yesterday, when he warned against making ‘unnecessary provocations’ against Russia, highlighting that Moscow has a ‘sense of being surrounded and under attack’. Now he needs to categorically rule out hosting US nukes.
‘The UK government needs to remember the huge protests of the 1980s against bringing US cruise missiles to Britain – including demonstrations of hundreds of thousands of people and peace camps at Greenham Common and elsewhere. A majority of the British people do not even want us to have nuclear weapons ourselves, let alone receive new American ones which will put us on the front line in any future US conflict. CND and its supporters will forcefully object and resist any attempt to bring US nuclear missiles here.’