Mr. O'NeillTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Western European Union has been used as a forum for co-ordinating policy on any other out-of-area issues, apart from mine clearance operations in the Gulf.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonWestern European Union consultation on out-of-area issues has been confined to matters relating to the Gulf, which includes co-ordination of the joint Belgium/Netherlands/United Kingdom mine countermeasures force. However, one of the objectives of the United Kingdom presidency of the Western European Union is to develop the Western European Union as a forum for co-ordinating European approaches to out-of-area issues generally.