§ 3.2 p.m.
Baroness WARD of NORTH TYNE-SIDEMy 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 whether they will publish in the Official Report the answer which the Lord Privy Seal undertook to send in writing to the Lord Soames in reply to certain matters which he raised on the Statement on the Guadeloupe Summit made in the House on 16th January.
§ The LORD PRIVY SEAL (Lord Peart)My Lords, I have arranged for this to be done.
§
Following is text of the answer referred to:
When I repeated the text of the Prime Minister's statement on the Guadeloupe summit in the House of Lords on 16th January, you asked whether consideration had been given at Guadeloupe to the setting up of an inter-Governmental forum whose duty it would be to keep a continuing watch over the threats of various kinds (overt and covert) outside the NATO area, both to the interests of the Western world and to those of our friends elsewhere. I undertook to look into this, and to let you know the result.
The point you referred to was not discussed at Guadeloupe. The meeting was intended to provide an opportunity for relaxed and informal discussion of political and security developments of common concern; it was not an occasion for substantive decisions on matters of interest to our Allies and partners.
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It may be helpful if I make the point that the scope of political consultation within NATO is not confined to developments within the NATO area. In the Declaration on Atlantic Relations adopted in Ottawa on 19th June 1974, NATO Governments agreed—
'to strengthen the practice of frank and timely consultations by all means which may be appropriate on matters relating to their common interests as members of the Alliance, bearing in mind that these interests can be affected by events in other areas of the world '.
In the Government's view, NATO provides the right institutional forum for regular discussion with our Allies on security matters affecting our common interests. In addition to the consultation which takes place in NATO, we are of course in regular touch with our Allies and partners on international issues, both through meetings of Ministers and through diplomatic channels; they would be uneasy at the establishment of any formal, permanent group which excluded them from important decisions". 30th January 1979.
Baroness WARD of NORTH TYNE-SIDEMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord very much indeed. Is he aware that it is not very often that I get such a good Answer? I am grateful to him.