Conference on Security and Co-operation

HC Deb 22 October 1990 vol 178 cc56-7W

Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the meeting of Foreign Affairs Ministers of the 35-nation conference on security and co-operation in Europe, held in New York on 1–2 October.

Mr. Waldegrave

The CSCE Foreign Ministers conference provided a useful forum to review the preparatory work being carried out for the CSCE summit, to be held in Paris on 19–21 November. Ministers' discussions reflected a convergence of views regarding the scope and objectives of the summit and the major new steps which are now possible for the CSCE process. They agreed that the role of the CSCE must be enhanced to respond to new opportunities for co-operation. We look forward to measures for such enhancement being endorsed at the Paris summit, enabling us to turn the CSCE from a process into an organisation.