§ Mr. Clifton-BrownTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment the Government have made of recent Franco-German proposals in the intergovernmental conference on defence. [21574]
§ Mr. David DavisHer Majesty's Government are a strong advocate of improved practical co-operation on defence among European countries. The decisions of the Berlin North Atlantic Council in June 1996 to support the development of the European security and Defence identity within NATO provide a sound framework for such co-operation, permitting the creation of militarily coherent and effective forces capable of operating under the political control and strategic direction of the Western European Union using NATO assets and capabilities when appropriate. Her Majesty's Government remain opposed to proposals to change the situation set out in the Maastricht treaty whereby the Western European Union elaborates and implements decisions and actions of the Union which have defence implications, and to proposals to subordinate the Western European Union to the European Union and to introduce a commitment to the eventual merger of the Western European Union and the European Union. Her Majesty's Government are firmly committed to the principle that decisions with defence implications taken by the European Union shall be taken by unanimity. It is opposed to flexibility arrangements within the European Union which could lead to a group of countries taking on collective defence commitments within a European Union framework which would undermine collective defence within NATO. Proposals along these lines, such as those put forward by the French and Germans, would undermine the development of the European security and defence identity within NATO.