§ Mr. Warbeyasked the Lord Privy Seal (1) to what extent and in relation to what matters the rules of the Council of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation provide for the taking of decision., other than by unanimous vote; and to what extent such decisions are binding, respectively, on members who vote for or against the decision, or who abstain or are absent from the vote;
(2) to what extent and in relation to what matters the rules of the Council of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation provide for the making of recommendations; to what extent such recommendations can be made other than by unanimous vote; and to what extent such recommendations are treated as carrying an obligation to comply with the recommendation in the case, respectively, of members who vote for or against the recommendation, or who abstain or are absent from the vote.
§ Mr. HeathAs the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation is composed of sovereign states of equal status, its practice has been to operate by unanimity. There have been occasions when a member or members have found themselves unable to agree with the consensus of 121W opinion upon a particular question, but have not wished to oppose it formally; they have therefore made their acquiescence in decisions or recommendations of the Council subject to explicit reservations concerning their freedom of action.