HC Deb 27 April 1989 vol 151 c664W
Mr. Tredinnick

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any contacts between the Royal Navy and Warsaw pact countries are planned.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

In a move to increase contacts between the Royal Navy and Warsaw pact navies, the destroyer Warszawa, flagship of the Polish Navy, is to visit London from 9–12 May. In a reciprocal visit, HMS Bristol will visit Gdynia from 9–12 June as part of the Dartmouth training squadron's summer deployment to the Baltic.

On the same deployment, HMS Bristol will also visit Leningrad from 26–30 May. This will be the first Royal Navy visit to the Soviet Union since HMS Devonshire made a port call in Odessa in 1976, and only the second ship visit since 1966. An invitation has been extended to the Soviet Navy to send a warship to the United Kingdom.