§ Mr. Woodrow Wyattasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement on the present situation with regard to negotiations on the foreign exchange cost of maintaining troops in Germany.
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§ Mr. George ThomsonI would prefer my hon. Friend to my statement on 12th December.—[Vol. 738, c. 44.]
§ Mr. William Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the recent official announcement by the West German Government that the full cost of the Rhine Army cannot or will not be met by Germany, he will seek to negotiate within the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation an immediate reduction of the British commitment there.
§ Mr. George ThomsonThe Federal German Government have made no such official announcement; the second part of the Question therefore does not arise.
We are continuing to discuss this problem with the Federal Government, and we expect the Tripartite Talks to be resumed shortly.
§ Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what representations he received from the United States Government with regard to Great Britain's declared intention of reducing the number of British Service men in West Germany if Bonn continued to cover the foreign exchange costs in keeping them there.
§ Mr. George ThomsonAs my hon. Friend is aware the foreign exchange costs of British and American troops in Germany have been the subject of exchanges of views between the three Governments since the Tripartite Talks began on 20th October, 1966.
The United States' offer to make additional purchases in the defence field in the United Kingdom to the amount of $35 million during 1967 justified us in deferring changes in our troop and supply dispositions while the Tripartite Talks continue, up to the end of June.