§ 68. Mr. Michael McNair-WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he is satisfied with the working of the procedures agreed at the Stockholm conference on disarmament in Europe; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Ian StewartYes. The provisions of the Stockholm agreement for notification and observation of exercises have in general worked well. There were eight observable152W Warsaw Pact exercises in 1987 and there have been two to date in 1988; nine NATO exercises in 1987, of which two were United Kingdom exercises, and one so far this year; and Finland has just become the first neutral and non-aligned country to host observers. The United Kingdom sent observers to all the relevant exercises.
The inspection procedures, which are designed to clarify any doubts about compliance with the provisions of the agreement and are a significant way of achieving greater confidence on all sides, have also been successfully implemented. Inspections have been carried out by the USSR on three NATO exercises; by the GDR on one NATO exercise; by the United States of America on three Warsaw Pact exercises;, and by the United Kingdom on two Warsaw Pact exercises. No evidence of noncompliance with the Stockholm agreement has been found.