HC Deb 22 March 2004 vol 419 cc543-4W
Harry Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the impact of the accession of new members to NATO on the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty; and if he will make a statement. [160325]

Mr. Rammell

I have been asked to reply.

We look forward to the new members joining NATO on 29 March. Bulgaria, Romania and Slovakia are already States Parties to the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovenia cannot join the CFE Treaty yet, but will be eligible to join the Adapted CFE Treaty when it comes into force. NATO Allies will not ratify the Adapted CFE Treaty until Russia has met the commitments it made to Georgia aid Moldova at the OSCE Summit in Istanbul in November 1999. NATO Allies have made clear their intention to ratify the Adapted CFE Treaty once these commitments have been met and we hope that Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovenia will sign up to the Adapted CFE Treaty as soon as they are able to do so.