HC Deb 29 November 1988 vol 142 c231W
Mr. Leigh

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the progress of East-West talks in respect of conventional forces in Europe.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

Talks are continuing in Vienna on mandates for two sets of conventional arms control negotiations: one on conventional stability in Europe, the other on confidence and security-building measures, building from those agreed in the Stockholm document of 1986. It is hoped that both negotiations can begin in the near future. In the meantime, the existing mutual and balanced force reduction talks, concerning forces in Central Europe, are also continuing in Vienna.