Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the UK's obligations are under the Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty. [173510]

Dr Murrison, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and Minister for International Security Strategy: The main obligation under the Southeast Asia Collective Defense treaty (the “Manila Pact”) is that all parties will “act to meet the common danger” in accordance with their own constitutional processes, in the event of aggression by means of armed attack in the treaty area against any of the parties. The nature of those acts is not prescribed. It would be for each party to determine whether an armed attack in the treaty area against any of the other parties had occurred, and if so, what actions it should take in response.

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