§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the statement issued in the course of the NATO meeting in December that NATO had "no intention, no plan and no reason" to deploy nuclear weapons in new member states (first Written Answer by Baroness Chalker of Wallasey on 22 January (WA 58)) is a formal or an informal undertaking; and whether that statement is compatible with the Government's statement to the effect that "the coverage provided by Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, including its nuclear component, will apply to new members" [second Written Answer by Baroness Chalker of Wallasey 22 January (WA 58)].
§ Baroness Chalker of WallaseyThe statement to which the noble Lord refers was agreed by NATO Foreign and Defence Ministers and is a firm political declaration on deployment of nuclear weapons on the territory of any new member state. It is compatible with our obligations under Article 5 of the Washington treaty.