§ Lord Trefgarneasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the role of the Western European Union in relation to the future of European security arrangements.
§ Lord ReayMy right honourable friends the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and the Secretary of State for Defence attended a Ministerial Meeting of the Western European Union to discuss this subject in Paris on 22nd February. They issued a working paper, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.
The paper records agreement among WEU members on the continuing importance of NATO as the framework for the collective defence of all allies, and on the need to strengthen the WEU as the European pillar within the Alliance, linked to the process of political union.
Differences remain on other issues. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs made plain that there was no case for the Twelve taking on a defence role, or for placing the WEU under the European Council. In order to be effective, the WEU should be moved to Brussels, and flexible arrangements should be made to associate all European allies who wish to do so with its work.