HL Deb 27 July 1989 vol 510 c1672WA
Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will now answer that part of Lord Kennet's Written Question of June 19th which went as follows: whether the NATO authorities have fully informed them how it came about that the exercise designated Active Edge was timed to take place during the arrival of President Gorbachev in the Federal Republic of Germany.

The Earl of Arran

As was made clear in the Answer given by my noble friend Lord Trefgarne on 27th June, the exercise did not include the exercise deployment of forces outside their garrisons. There was therefore no reason why President Gorbachev's visit to the Federal Republic of Germany should affect the timing of the exercise. It follows that the question of an explanation from the NATO authorities as to the timing of the exercise does not arise.