Nato And Public Debate

EDM number 334 in 1991-92, proposed by Harry Cohen on 04/12/1991.

That this House recognises that the political situation in Europe has changed entirely over the past three years and considers that it is no longer acceptable or prudent for NATO to keep decisive parts of its military strategy secret; believes that this practice undermines confidence, weakens democratic support for international institutions, and sets a bad example to the emerging democracies in the East and in the former Soviet Union; believes that if NATO wishes to become a more political organisation, it must become more open; further believes that the parliaments of NATO member nations must be fully informed of NATO's future nuclear planning proceedings and doctrinal papers, NATO Force Goals, Nuclear Weapons Requirements Studies, Defence Planning Questionnaires and other standard management tools of NATO planning, all projects funded under NATO programmes and the formerly classified Flexible Response Strategy (14/3 and 48/3); urges the Alliance to publish the document which is currently being drafted for the Military Committee, further elaborating NATO's new military strategy; and further urges the Alliance to make NATO's operational concepts available for public debate.

This motion has been signed by a total of 14 MPs.