RECENTLY the UN General Assembly held discussions aimed at ridding the world of nuclear weapons and have since produced a draft treaty to ban them completely.

It is significant that all the nuclear weapons states boycotted the discussions and will have nothing to do with the treaty. That includes the United Kingdom and shows the opposition of this government to any kind of nuclear disarmament however achieved.

But at the same time the nuclear weapons states led by the US are trying to force North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons by bullying it with draconian sanctions or, in the case of the US, by war — even perhaps nuclear war itself.

The logic of this position is difficult to seek: the UK claims that Trident is deployed to deter an attack on this country and does not threaten other countries, but North Korea isn't allowed to justify its nuclear weapons by the same argument.

There can, however, be no case for any state which claims it has the right to possess nuclear weapons not to accept the fact that pari passu all other states must possess the same right.

The present wholly unnecessary and dangerous crisis could be averted by the nuclear weapons states agreeing to adhere to the UN General Assembly Draft Treaty and inviting North Korea and Israel, for that matter, to do the same.

Britain could take the lead in this and it is to be hoped that a Corbyn-led Labour government, if elected, might adopt it as a policy. But I am not holding my breath.

Malcolm Pittock

St James Avenue

Bolton