HC Deb 03 July 1973 vol 859 cc238-9
12. Mr. John Fraser

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the presence of British armed forces in Greece on NATO exercises.

Mr. Ian Gilmour

British forces recently took part in the NATO exercise "Alexander Express" which involved the deployment of the multi-national ACE mobile force to Northern Greece. Her Majesty's Government regard the participation of British forces in such exercises as an important means of contributing to the continued military effectiveness of the Alliance.

Mr. Fraser

Will the Minister confirm that not only is NATO supposed to be about the maintenance of the rule of law but it is also supposed to be about the maintenance of liberty and democracy? The right hon. Gentleman must be aware that the Greek NATO Army toppled democracy and still holds the country under dictatorship and repression. May we have a promise that something will be done inside NATO to try to restore democracy and that there will not be another idiotic decision to send British troops to Greece at the same time as the Greek Navy is trying to get rid of the dictatorship?

Mr. Gilmour

Greece occupies a position of great strategic importance on the southern flank of the Alliance. To call in question or to undermine Greece's position in NATO would jeopardise the security of the Alliance without bringing any benefit to the Greek people. I certainly will not give the hon. Gentleman the assurance for which he asks. I think that his memory is a bit short. We are taking exactly the attitude that the Labour Government took. In 1969 there was a similar exercise with Greece—"Olympic Express"—in which British forces took part.

Mr. Dykes

While I accept the complete legitimacy of such military exercises for defence purposes, I should like the Government to make clearer that they have a continuing disapproval of the nature and future of the present Greek regime.

Mr. Gilmour

My hon. Friend will realise that this is a matter not for me but for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. He will also be aware that the Government—as did the previous Government—conduct normal trade, defence and other relations with a number of Governments whose internal policies we do not necessarily endorse.

Mr. John

Does not the Minister realise that, however narrow a strategic view he takes, an anti-democratic regime in Greece is possibly the most unstable sort of regime we want on our southern flank of NATO? Is it not high time that Britain exercised her influence through NATO to emphasise what we stand for as well as what we stand against?

Mr. Gilmour

The Government have done that very often, and no one is in any doubt what we stand for. But we do not think it appropriate for the internal affairs of particular countries to be discussed in NATO.