§ 2. Ms Dari Taylor (Stockton, South)What progress has been made since the Helsinki summit in improving European defence co-operation. [127256]
§ The Secretary of State for Defence (Mr. Geoffrey Hoon)The package of measures endorsed by EU leaders at the recent Feira summit marks further practical progress on the European defence policy. In particular, we have successfully taken forward the commitment to improving European capabilities made at Helsinki, and agreed proposals to develop a close European Union-NATO relationship which recognises the key role of European allies that are not members of the EU.
§ Ms TaylorIs my right hon. Friend aware of the recent statements made by Strobe Talbott, a member of the Senate Defence Committee? He said that
the US is for ESDI.Does my right hon. Friend, like me, also take comfort from the words of Lord Hurd of Westwell, a former Conservative Foreign Secretary? He said:I believe that the Government are right, with the French, to try to encourage our fellow Europeans to act together in humanitarian and peacekeeping tasks. I do not see that enterprise as a challenge or rival to NATO.Will my right hon. Friend state once again in the House that the European security and defence identity does not threaten or undermine the relationships that we have with the United States and that it does not in any way, shape or form alter the fact, the operation or the continuance of NATO?
§ Mr. HoonI am grateful to my hon. Friend. I have great difficulty in understanding why the Opposition persist in decrying this development because any sensible commentator—my hon. Friend has mentioned some—undoubtedly recognises that strengthening the Europeans' contribution to NATO means that NATO itself will be stronger. I do not understand why Opposition Members have difficulty with that concept unless it has something to do with their knee-jerk opposition these days to anything to do with the European Union. In case it does, may I remind them of at least part of their policy? The European democrat group, of which the Conservative party is a member, has said:
We want to have a defence policy in Europe…If we talk about European defence and if we put it into the Treaties then we must be able to fill it out and give it substance so we can have a capability available.Even the Conservative party does not seem quite sure what its policy is these days.
§ Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York)Can the Secretary of State give the House the assurance that any European defence identity will proceed on the basis of an intergovernmental and not a supranational legal basis?
§ Mr. HoonYes, I can give that assurance. I assume that, as a former member of the European democrat group, the hon. Lady will approve of the policy that the Government have set out.