HC Deb 13 December 1999 vol 341 cc22-3W
17. Mr. Swayne

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on defence co-operation with other EU member states. [100970]

Mr. Hoon

We continue to develop our bilateral and multilateral defence relations with the other EU member states.

In particular, we want to strengthen the EU' s Common Foreign and Security Policy, so that Europe can speak with authority and act decisively in response to crises where the North Atlantic Alliance as a whole is not engaged.

We are making good progress with our Allies and Partners both in the European Union, in the Western European Union and in NATO.

21. Mr. Ben Chapman

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made since the St. Malo agreement in promoting Anglo-French co-operation in defence. [100974]

37. Mr. Crausby

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made since the St. Malo agreement in promoting Anglo-French co-operation in defence. [100991]

Mr. Hoon

Work has been taken forward on planning for non-combat evacuation operations; joint exercises; improved links between operational headquarters; co-ordination of naval deployments; information exchanges on peacekeeping activities; Year 2000 computer problems; logistics; and arrangements for dealing with the media.

Specific examples of co-operation are: the posting of liaison offices into operational headquarters, the attachment of HMS Somerset, and later HMS Grafton, to the French Foch Carrier Task Group in the Adriatic during the Kosovo conflict; and co-operation on media handling during the Kosovo conflict. We also signed a Mutual Logistics Support Agreement at the UK/France Summit held on 25 November.

Back to