§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what decisions were reached by the North Atlantic Assembly which met at Bonn from November 22 onwards regarding the proposals that consideration should be given for mining the sea-bed at the entrance to the Baltic and placing mobile anti-ship missiles on the shore.
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, the Assembly recommended that the North Atlantic Council should study, and when possible implement, these and other recommendations made in a report on the defence of the Northern flank of NATO.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, is this not terribly contradictory of the fact that we are proceeding to talks about the balance of arms between East and West, to the SALT negotiations and to the Conference in Helsinki on security and co-operation? Is there any evidence whatsoever that the Russian coast of the Baltic is mined by the Russians or that the Black Sea approaches to the Dardanelles are so mined; and, if not, why these proposals?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, the North Atlantic Assembly is an unofficial body 144 of Parliamentarians. It has no formal place in the structure of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation; but of course suggestions which are made by the North Atlantic Assembly are sent to the NATO Secretary-General and he may, if he thinks it desirable, draw their attention to the North Atlantic Council.
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, would not the noble Baroness agree that when the Assembly makes recommendations to the Secretary-General and to other Ministers they rarely take any action at all?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, I would not go so far as to say that. All recommendations are certainly studied by them.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, is it possible for the Minister to say, if these recommendations reach NATO, what would be the attitude of Her Majesty's Government towards them?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, I cannot answer a hypothetical question. They have not yet reached NATO.
§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, could the noble Baroness make it clear to the House—because some of your Lordships may not know very much about it—whether this is in fact a proposal to mine the high seas or territorial waters in peace time?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, this is a proposal put forward, as I say, by an unofficial assembly of Parliamentarians, which suggests that certain areas of the sea-bed at the entrance to the Baltic should be mined and that there should be mobile anti-ship missiles placed along the shore.
§ LORD KENNETIn peace time, my Lords?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEYes, my Lords; as a defensive measure, I understand.
§ LORD DAVIES OF LEEKMy Lords, is the noble Baroness aware that some of us think that whoever made this recommendation must have been, to use the words of a great national dignitary, "bonkers? Also, is it not time that NATO gave up the search for an enemy?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, I will not comment on the use of the famous term "bonkers". The use of sea mines in war is regulated by The Hague Convention of 1907. It does not refer to mines which are laid on the sea-bed and it would not prevent the kind of action proposed by the North Atlantic Assembly.