§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Prime Minister's statement of 24 June on the Seville European Council, if he will make a statement on the relationship between ESDP and NATO; and if it is the policy of the Government for NATO's Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe to play the central role in military planning to meet crises and contingencies for NATO and ESDP operations. [64810]
§ Mr. HoonThe European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) complements and reinforces NATO. The Government are continuing to work within both the EU and NATO to conclude agreement on the arrangements to enable the EU to have assured access to NATO's planning capacities. These arrangements, which cover the role of D/SACEUR, are crucial to the success of ESDP.