Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 25 Feb 1999

Vol. 501 No. 2

Written Answers. - Naval Service Exercises.

Proinsias De Rossa

Ceist:

79 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Defence if the Naval Service has been invited to participate in maritime training exercises in the Baltic in summer 1999; if so, the individual who issued this invitation; under whose auspices the exercises will be held; if it is intended to accept the invitation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4995/99]

John Gormley

Ceist:

134 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Defence his views on the invitation to the Naval Service to participate in Baltops 1999; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5035/99]

Minister for Defence (Mr. M. Smith)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 79 and 134 together.

In October 1998 an invitation was received from the Commander in Chief, US Naval Forces Europe, for a Naval Service vessel to participate in an annual exercise conducted by the United States Naval authorities in conjunction with European nations in the Baltic Sea, tentatively scheduled for 7-18 June 1999. The exercise, while not a NATO-Partnership for Peace (PfP) exercise, is nevertheless conducted in the spirit of PfP. The current invitation is under examination in my Department in consultation with the Department of Foreign Affairs.