HL Deb 08 April 1998 vol 588 cc751-4

2.50 p.m.

Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they believe that the Parliamentary Assembly of the Western European Union should open a dialogue with the Duma of the Russian Federation with a view to engaging in a permanent relationship.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

My Lords, as an independent body, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Western European Union takes such decisions autonomously. However, the Government would welcome initiatives by the assembly to improve its relationship with the Russian Duma.

Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that Answer. Is she aware that that question is currently before the political committee of the WEU so that the parliament of the WEU will be considering it actively in the immediate future? It would be helpful for WEU delegates to have guidance on the issue from the British Government. It would be helpful also to know the factors which the Government are taking into account in reaching that level of guidance.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

My Lords, I am aware that the matter is being discussed, but decisions on how the assembly strengthens its links with the Duma, including more regular dialogue, are for the assembly. The assembly already has links with the Duma. Assembly members organised a joint seminar on European security with the Duma in Moscow in November 1996 and Duma parliamentarians attended a plenary session of the assembly in Paris in December 1997.

There are exchanges between the WEU and with Foreign Minister Primakov in trying to build that relationship. Of course Her Majesty's Government also have parliamentary exchanges which we hope indicate the general tenor of the relationship which we should wish to pursue.

Lord Ewing of Kirkford

My Lords, in view of what my noble friend said in relation to guidance for the parliamentary delegates to the Western European Union, perhaps I might ask whether the practice of Foreign Office briefing for the WEU and, indeed, the Council of Europe delegation still continues under the present Government as it did under the previous government, whereby, when the agenda was available for the plenary session, a Foreign Office briefing was given to the delegation which represented the British Parliament at both those organisations.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

My Lords, as far as I am aware, those relationships and arrangements have not changed.

Baroness Rawlings

My Lords, following the question of the noble Lord. Lord Ewing, are the Government following up the Birmingham Declaration of 1997 which was agreed under the British presidency at which the Permanent Council of the WEU was tasked to take forward relations with Russia and the Ukraine?

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

My Lords, yes, as the noble Baroness will expect. the Government are following up both bilaterally and through our presidency the undertakings made.

Lord Hardy of Wath

My Lords, will my noble friend accept that it would be desirable if there were greater clarity about the purpose and position of the WEU in the light of the changing situation regarding European security? Would it not be highly desirable to achieve that clarity before the appointment of the next secretary general?

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

My Lords, I believe that we are reaching a clearer understanding of the WEU functions. Those in your Lordships' House who have been taking an interest in the progress of the Amsterdam Bill, on which we have currently reached the Committee stage, and the Amsterdam Treaty will be aware that that treaty retains the principles which were established about the WEU in the Maastricht Treaty. It confirms also that the WEU will be the channel through which the EU can call on an operational military capability in support of its own non-military crisis management activity.

Lord Kennet

My Lords, will the noble Baroness agree that, given the difficult circumstances of its birth and the continued threat under which it lives, the Duma will have need of all the contacts, discussions and clarifications it can have with all western parliamentary international assemblies, not only the WEU but also the OSCE, the Council of Europe and the North Atlantic Assembly? The further we go in that dangerous business of expanding NATO, the more it will need those contacts.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

My Lords, as I am sure my noble friend would expect, Her Majesty's Government would not agree with his description of the expansion of NATO as dangerous or difficult. But he is right that we are in the business of building confidence. That was the reason behind the founding Act which your Lordships have discussed on previous occasions. All opportunities we have to build confidence not only between the Duma and the WEU but between the Duma and other countries and between the Duma and NATO are worthwhile undertakings which Her Majesty's Government pursue.

Lord Randall of St. Budeaux

My Lords, does my noble friend agree with me in principle that dialogue between parliamentarians is generally good and should always be encouraged? Does she agree with me also that a core aspect of the Government's foreign policy is to support co-operation among European countries in order to enhance the political stability of our Continent as well as improving prosperity for all?

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

My Lords, yes, I can agree that it is important to raise confidence both at a political and a parliamentary level. The political links are strong. We can go back to the Queen's visit in 1994 and also the Prime Minister's visit in October last year. The Prime Minister and President Yeltsin talk regularly on the telephone. The Foreign Secretary visited Moscow last July; the Defence Secretary visited in November; and my right honourable friend Mrs. Beckett visited Moscow in April.

In addition, there are parliamentary links, as your Lordships will know. There are exchanges which include the visit of the then chairman of the Upper House, Vladimir Shumeiko, in May 1995. There have been many other instances of parliamentary visits which I could cite. A most useful suggestion was that put forward by my noble friend Lady Smith that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office should hold a seminar on UK-Russian links in February of this year. That was attended by 30 UK parliamentarians and was generally thought to be a great success.

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