§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the extent is of joint working with Slovenia on military matters; how many UK personnel work in Slovenia on training and related matters; and if he will make a statement. [124884]
§ Mr. SpellarSlovenia is one of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe included in the Ministry of Defence's Outreach Programme of bilateral assistance. My officials hold annual Defence Staff Talks with their Slovenian counterparts and from these discussions a programme of bilateral assistance is constructed. The main area of assistance is in English language training, but we also conduct seminars on various Defence related subjects, discussions on codification and standardisation, and arms control training. There are also VIP and working level short visits to UK by Slovenian Ministry of Defence officials and members of their Armed Forces, including450W attendance on TA summer camps, and reciprocal visits by UK Ministry of Defence officials and members of UK Armed Forces.
At present there are no MOD UK personnel working in Slovenia, however the UK Defence Attaché to Slovenia, who is currently cross-accredited to Austria and resident in Vienna, is moving to Slovenia on 13 June 2000. Additionally, an MOD civil servant is due to take up post as Adviser on Defence Policy and Planning in the Slovenian Ministry of Defence in September 2000.