§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what discussions he has held with the non-NATO members of the European Union on the future of European defence policy; and if he will make a statement; [76261]
(2) what discussions his Department has had with the countries associated with the Western European Union on the future of the WEU and the European Union. [76265]
§ Mr. George RobertsonWe have invited all our Partners and Allies, including all countries associated with the Western European Union and non-NATO members of the European Union, to join us in thinking afresh about how to strengthen both European defence capabilities and the European Union's Common Foreign and Security Policy. This initiative has been very positively received, and I look forward to continuing the discussions with my colleagues over the coming months.