HL Deb 19 June 1996 vol 573 c31WA
Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the combined joint task forces recently agreed within NATO as part of the European Security and Defence Identity are always to be commanded by an American officer.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Earl Howe)

The commander of a combined joint task force (CJTF) headquarters, deployed under either NATO or WEU authority, will be selected on a case by case basis by the organisation mounting the operation; there is no requirement for him to be an American officer.