Information and Crisis Control Centre

HC Deb 25 January 1984 vol 52 c586W

Mr. Fisher

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will propose to the North Atlantic Council the establishment of a joint North Atlantic Treaty Organisation — Soviet information and crisis control centre.

Mr. Stanley

Channels of rapid communication already exist between NATO nations and the Soviet Union. In addition, the Stockholm conference on confidence and security building measures and disarmament in Europe, in which the United Kingdom is playing an active part, will be considering a range of measures to reduce the risks of war to all European nations. One of a set of NATO agreed proposals will be the enhancement of the capacity for rapid communications between Governments in times of crisis.