Franco-British European Defence Initiative

HC Deb 19 January 1999 vol 323 c432W

20. Mr. Paul Clark

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the implications for the United Kingdom's foreign policy of the Franco-British European defence initiative. [64606]

33. Mr. Sutcliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the foreign policy implications of the Franco-British European defence initiative. [64619]

Mr. Robin Cook

It is firmly in Britain's interests for Europe to speak and act more effectively on the world stage. But, as recent events in Kosovo have shown, a stronger and more coherent European voice in international foreign policy must be backed by a more effective European military capability. The St. Malo Declaration of 4 December set out a framework for building this capacity.

This initiative has been welcomed by the US Government, to whom we have it made it clear that NATO will remain the cornerstone of European security and the basis of our collective defence.