APPENDIX 40
Letter from the Ministry of Defence responding
to the Committee's request for the Chief of Defence Intelligence
to give evidence in front of the Committee
Thank you for your letter of 9 March to Patricia
Parkin requesting an evidence session with the Chief of Defence
Intelligence on Kosovo.
I ought to explain that the Defence Intelligence
Staff are an integral part of the overall Defence Staff who advise
Ministers here. In that capacity the CDI will be part of a team
due to give evidence to the Defence Committee later this month
on the overall Kosovo campaign on behalf of the Defence Secretary.
He does not have a separate independent position.
I know that the Committees have been keen to
avoid overlap in their enquiries, which has been helpful in making
efficient use of senior officers time. CDI and other officials
here have seen the evidence that has been given by FCO officials
on intelligence-related issues to the Foreign Affairs Committee.
Mr Hoon does not think Admiral West could usefully add to that.
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