HC Deb 19 June 1990 vol 174 c795
16. Mr. Ronnie Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he next expects to meet his West German counterpart to discuss European defence and disarmament.

Mr. Tom King

I met Dr. Stoltenberg for discussions on a range of current defence issues at the nuclear planning group and defence planning committee meetings in May. On current plans, I next expect to meet him at NATO ministerial meetings later this year.

Mr. Campbell

Now that the two Germanies are to be reunited, does the Minister think that that country should be non-nuclear? If so, why does he keep pressing the Germans to have nuclear weapons on their soil?

Mr. King

The hon. Gentleman may have forgotten the recent Anglo-German summit in London at which Chancellor Kohl, beside my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, made clear the commitment of the Federal Republic of Germany to an appropriate mix of conventional and nuclear weapons in Europe.