asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of East Germany about proposals for a nuclear weapons freeze in Europe.

During my right hon. and learned Friend's visit to East Berlin and the German Democratic Republic he discussed arms control issues with Mr. Fischer and Mr. Honecker. On the question of a freeze on nuclear weapons, my right hon. and learned Friend stressed our view that the aim should be to achieve significant reductions in both sides of nuclear weapons rather than a moratorium that would merely freeze the existing imbalance in intermediate range forces in Europe in the Soviet favour.