HC Deb 24 October 1989 vol 158 c433W
51. Mr. Leigh

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has any evidence that the Warsaw pact has reduced its capability to undertake surprise large-scale offensive operations.

99. Mr. Jacques Arnold

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has any evidence that the Warsaw pact has reduced its capability to undertake surprise, large-scale offensive operations.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

Some of the unilateral force withdrawals announced by Gorbachev and other Warsaw pact leaders have now been completed. However, we have no evidence that the Warsaw pact has reduced its ability to undertake large-scale offensive operations, even though the element of surprise which they could achieve may have been reduced.

91. Mr. Robert G. Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the conventional forces limitation negotiations will reduce the Warsaw pact's capability to undertake surprise, large-scale offensive operations.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

A successful outcome to the negotiations on conventional armed forces in Europe will achieve a stable and secure balance at lower levels of forces, as well as the elimination of disparities and the capacity for launching surprise attack and large-scale offensive action.