§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the issues discussed and decision made at(a) the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Defence Ministers meeting in Taormina, Sicily on 17 and 18 October and (b) the North Atlantic Assembly. in Madrid on 17 October.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkAt the recent meeting of the NATO nuclear planning group in Taormina, the alliance warmly welcomed the recent decisive steps towards democracy and freedom in the Soviet Union. In welcoming President Bush's recent initiative, and President Gorbachev's response, the alliance agreed that there is no requirement for NATO ground-launched short range nuclear systems. In addition to the elimination of these systems, the allies also agreed that the number of air-delivered weapons in NATO's stockpile will be greatly reduced. The total reduction in the current NATO stockpile of sub-strategic nuclear weapons in Europe will be roughly 80 per cent. The alliance however reaffirmed that nuclear weapons will continue for the foreseeable future to fulfil their essential role in the alliance's overall strategy of war prevention. NATO will therefore continue to base effective and up-to-date sub-strategic nuclear forces in Europe, but they will consist solely of dual-capable aircraft, with widespread participation in nuclear roles and peacetime basing by allies. A copy of the final communique issued at the end of the meeting has been placed in the Library of the House. The North Atlantic Assembly meeting continues until today. The subject of its plenary debate was "NATO after the Soviet Union" and reports on a range of subjects were discussed in committee.