§ 64. Mr. HardyTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he accepts without serious reservation the recommendations presented in the report on force comparisons which was approved by the 651W WEU assembly on 6 December; and what role he envisages for the Western European Union in the pursuit of verification of arms reductions.
§ Mr. WaldegraveWe welcome the support expressed in this report for NATO's agreed arms control priorities. But we cannot endorse all its specific proposals. In particular, the report's recommendations on short-range nuclear forces differ from the Alliance's agreed position as set out in the comprehensive concept. We consider that the WEU can provide useful support for NATO's work on conventional arms control verification by helping to ensure that the European contribution is as effective as possible.