Press Release (97)45 23 Apr. 1997

PMSC Session (Reinforced) on Parliamentary Oversight of the Defence Establishment A Session of the Political-military Steering Committee in NACC/PfP Format (reinforced with experts from capitals) will take place at NATO HQ on 24-25 April 1997. This meeting falls within the scope of the PFP Partnership Work Programme in the field of civil-military relations and democratic control of the armed forces, and will specifically focus on the question of parliamentary oversight of the defence establishment, an essential element in any democracy (and the reason why it received a high priority in the PfP Framework Document). In particular, the three sessions of the meeting will be devoted to parliamentary oversight of policy-making, including the role of hearings and outside experts; oversight of budget formation, approval and adjustment; and the development of defence expertise among Members of Parliament and their staff. Because of the nature of this topic, the session has been organized by NATO in cooperation with the North Atlantic Assembly, which has coordinated the participation of several Members of Parliament from its own national delegations. Discussions will therefore be based on contributions by Parliamentarians, from NATO and Partner countries, as well as from experts sharing first-hand experience. Representatives of other organizations active in this field have been invited to attend.