NATO, Western European Union and Partnership for Peace

HC Deb 15 January 1997 vol 288 c300W

31. Mr. Viggers

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are Her Majesty's Government's strategic proposals relating to the expansion of NATO, the Western European Union and Partnership for Peace. [9263]

Mr. David Davis

A NATO summit will be held on 8 and 9 July in Madrid. It will take a number of landmark decisions, includinginviting one or more countries to begin accession negotiations; finalising the arrangements for the establishment of a European security and defence identity in NATO; strengthening partnership for peace and, we expect, launching the Atlantic Partnership Council as a new body for co-operation between NATO and other countries.

The Government's proposals for development of the Western European Union were made public in spring 1995.