Sir, - In the Foreign Affairs booklet Ireland and the PfP, the following references are made to NATO:
Page 75, paragraph 4: "The objectives of PfP are as follows: (d) the development of co-operative military relations with NATO, for the purpose of joint planning, training, and exercises in order to strengthen their ability to undertake missions in the fields of peacekeeping . . . and others as may subsequently be agreed".
Paragraph 5: "The Attorney General can see no reason why we would not agree to maintain our capability and readiness to contribute". (Capability presumably means having sufficient combat soldiers to spare from internal security.)
Paragraph 6: "The PfP Framework Document also includes a number of understandings. These include the understanding that those who envisage participation in missions referred to at (d) above will, where appropriate, take part in related NATO exercises".
Do we have enough combat troops to spare from internal security reserves after the Price Waterhouse reductions in Army strength?
The Irish Times report of April 10th, 1999, stated "The Taoiseach confirmed a referendum would not be held, and claimed that there was no connection between PfP and NATO".
Is this true? - Yours, etc.,
Patrick O'Donnell, Glasnevin Avenue, Dublin 11.