Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe

HC Deb 27 March 2001 vol 365 c551W

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he had on the replacement of General Sir Rupert Smith as Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe by General Dietrich Stockmann; if the UK made a nomination for this post; and if he will make a statement. [155794]

Mr. Hoon

This change was part of an agreement reached preceding implementation of the new NATO command structure in 1999, under which the United Kingdom and Germany will alternate the provision of Senior Commanders at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) and Regional Headquarters Allied Forces Northern Europe (RHQ AFNORTH). At SHAPE, we will provide either Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (DSACEUR) or the Chief of Staff and at RHQ AFNORTH we will provide either the Commander in Chief (C in C) or the Deputy C in C. The nation filling the DSACEUR post will provide the Deputy C in C at the Regional HQ; the UK has recently taken over the key C in C NORTH post in anticipation of General Sir Rupert Smith handing over to General Stockmann as DSACEUR.