During the negotiations for a new federal government the flemish Christian-Democratic party CD&V tried to include the withdrawal of US nuclear weapons in the government agreement. This has been refused by the liberals, although it is unclear if it was by the flemish liberal party VLD (with foreign minister De Gucht) or by the french-speaking liberal party MR (which has a narrow relation with nuclear France).

So even when this gave no result, it is important to see that the change in position by the CD&V was real and not just election talk. It means that CD&V sees the withdrawal of US nuclear weapons as a realistic aim and that important steps are possible in the coming term. CD&V is the most atlantist party in the Belgian political landscape with a lot of connections in the Belgian diplomacy. Both the current NATO-ambassador and the diplomat dealing with non-proliferation and disarmament issues are known as christian democrats, even when the former government was one without christian democrats.

The proposal for the government agreement (based on the earlier parlementary resolutions):
- to propose initiatives in NATO concerning the review of strategic doctrines and the gradual withdrawal of the American tactical nuclear weapons from Europe as fulfillment of Article 6 of the NPT (my unofficial translation).
Dutch original:
- bij de NAVO initiatieven ter sprake te brengen in verband met de herziening van de strategische doctrines en de graduele terugtrekking van de Amerikaanse tactische kernwapens uit Europa met het oog op het realiseren van artikel 6 van het NPT.

Meanwhile the negotiations for a new government have led to a deadlock. It is at the moment unclear how the negotiations will continue and which parties in the end will form the government.

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