§ Mr. MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, pursuant to his answer of 20 January 2000,Official Report, column 536W, on the Helsinki Council, the terms of reference, guidance and accountability of the standing committees have been determined. [117486]
§ Mr. VazNo decisions have been taken on the establishment of these bodies in their permanent form. The Council decided on 15 February to establish equivalent bodies on an interim basis. Under these decisions, the Interim Political and Security Committee, a separate formation of the Political Committee, shall, in close contacts with the Secretary General/High Representative prepare recommendations for the Council on the future functioning of the common European security and defence policy and deal with common foreign and security policy affairs on a day-to-day basis. An Interim Military Body, consisting of representatives of member states' Chiefs of Defence, shall give military advice as required to the Political Committee, including in its formation as the interim Political and Security Committee, and to the Secretary General/High Representative. It is assisted by military experts seconded from member states to the Council Secretariat. The military experts will provide military expertise to the Interim Military Body and the Secretary General/High Representative to support the common foreign and security policy. They will form the nucleus of the future military staff.