He was told - and he knew this because he had studied the American system - that the Senate Committee on Labour and Public Welfare had reported to Congress thatthe experience of the cooling-off period was not a happy one since it was too frequently used as a device for bringing to a Rapid Crisis disputes which might have been solved by patient negotiation.

It deals with Rapid Crisis prevention and response, improving the ability to take fast, appropriate and effective action to prevent crises developing, spreading or escalating.

It is focused and comprehensive in identifying three pillars upon which the strategy is formed: early warning; Rapid Crisis prevention; and response and investing in upstream prevention.

The second is Rapid Crisis prevention and response by taking fast, appropriate and effective action to prevent a crisis or stop it escalating.

The three mutually supporting pillars underpinning the BSOS-early warning, Rapid Crisis prevention and response and investing in upstream prevention-present the challenge of uniting three departments.

Building Stability Overseas Strategy, with its focus on early warning, Rapid Crisis prevention and response and investment in upstream prevention, is a welcome initiative.

It has three areas where the Government wish to focus efforts: first, early warning, improving our ability to anticipate instability and potential triggers for conflict, so far as we can; secondly, Rapid Crisis prevention and response, taking fast, appropriate and effective action to prevent a crisis or to stop it from developing further; and, thirdly, investing in upstream prevention by trying to build strong, legitimate and robust societies in the many fragile countries and weak states around the world.