HC Deb 10 July 1996 vol 281 cc218-9W
30. Mr. Colvin

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the current criteria for the admission of new members to the Western European Union; and if he will make a statement. [35191]

Mr. David Davis

Article XI of the modified Brussels treaty permits the members of Western European Union, by agreement, to invite any other state to accede to the treaty on conditions to be agreed between them and the states so invited.

Such conditions would need to take into account the facts that the mutual defence guarantee of the modified Brussels treaty implies prior membership of NATO and that at Maastricht EU members were invited to accede to WEU on conditions to be agreed in accordance with article XI of the modified Brussels treaty.

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