HC Deb 31 January 1992 vol 202 cc735-6W
Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy at the meeting of foreign ministers at the conference on security and co-operation in Europe in Prague on 30 and 31 January(a) to pledge an increase in United Kingdom donations to support the organisation and operations of the CSCE and (b) to encourage all states represented to publish a register of all Government-sanctioned sales of arms and military equipment.

Mr. Garel-Jones

The costs of the CSCE institutions and other CSCE activities are shared among the participating states on the basis of an agreed formula. The United Kingdom is one of the six states making the largest contributions. Decisions on future work in the CSCE (and therefore the eventual size of the United Kingdom contribution) will be taken at the Helsinki follow-up meeting (March to July 1992).

The United Kingdom and its partners in the European Community have proposed that the Council of Ministers adopt, at its meeting in Prague, a statement committing itself to participate in the United Nations' register of conventional arms transfers.