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EU DEFENCE HEADQUARTERS

12. Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had on the proposal to establish an EU defence headquarters. [72910]

Dr Fox: NATO remains the cornerstone of UK defence. I have always been clear that the UK opposes the creation of a permanent EU operational military headquarters. It would be a duplication of existing capability provided by NATO, would permanently disassociate the EU from NATO and would be an unnecessary use of resources.

The Minister for International Security Strategy, my hon. Friend the Member for Aldershot (Mr Howarth), emphasised our position at the Informal Meeting of EU Ministers of Defence in Poland on 22-23 September 2011. I will continue to take every opportunity to reinforce this message with our European and NATO partners.

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