§ 97. Mr. Allen AdamsTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on her Majesty's Government's latest position in the talks on conventional stability in Europe.
§ 98. Mr. Nigel GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's latest position in the talks on conventional stability in Europe.
§ 99. Mr. StottTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's latest position in the talks on conventional stability in Europe.
§ 100. Mr. John EvansTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's latest position in the talks on conventional stability in Europe.
§ Mr. MellorThe position was set out in my reply to the hon. Member for Wallsend (Mr. Garrett) and others on 8 December. I repeat it here: the Government fully support the launching of conventional stability talks covering the Atlantic to the Urals, first called for in the NATO Brussels declaration of December 1986. To this end, the Government are playing an active part in the informal discussions taking place in Vienna between NATO and Warsaw pact representatives to find a mandate for formal conventional stability negotiations. We hope these can begin in the course of this year. The Government's — and NATO's —primary objectives in these talks will be the establishment of a stable and secure balance of forces in Europe at lower levels together with the elimination of disparities in force levels and of the Warsaw pact's capability for surprise attack and offensive action.