HC Deb 28 July 1997 vol 299 c30W
Ann Clwyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the Government's objectives for the first meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation-Russia permanent joint council on 22 September. [10443]

Mr. Tony Lloyd

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary's objective at the first ministerial meeting of the permanent joint council will be to consult the Russian Foreign Minister on a range of security issues of common interest and to begin to establish a new mechanism for building greater trust and co-operation between Russia and NATO. The first meeting is expected in September; no date has been confirmed.

Ann Clwyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the potential impact of NATO enlargement on the future of arms control with special reference to START 2, START 3—the strategic arms reduction talks—and the conventional forces in Europe treaty. [10444]

Mr. Lloyd

START 2 and START 3 remain bilateral US-Russian negotiations to which President Clinton and President Yeltsin recommitted themselves in March this year in the run-up to the NATO summit and the announcements made there about NATO enlargement. I welcome their continued commitment to progress.

The CFE treaty is being adapted by all 30 state parties. On 23 July, after the NATO summit and enlargement decisions, agreement was reached on the basic elements of an adapted treaty. This was a very welcome sign of progress.