HC Deb 17 March 1969 vol 780 cc29-31
37. Sir T. Beamish

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Arab States have indicated their support for the Security Council Resolution of 22nd November, 1967, sponsored by the United Kingdom; what progress has been made towards is implementation; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Goronwy Roberts

The Governments of the United Arab Republic, Jordan and the Lebanon are among those who have stated that they accept the resolution.

Dr. Jarring has now begun another round of consultations with the parties and the four Permanent Members of the Security Council are continuing their bilateral discussions in New York. I hope that these will soon lead to four-Power discussions.

Sir T. Beamish

Does the Minister agree that the longer negotiations are put off the more difficult they may prove? Why in those circumstances is there apparently no sense of urgency whatever on the part of Her Majesty's Government to press forward with the implementation of the British-sponsored resolution?

Mr. Roberts

I take the hon. and gallant Member's point about there being a sense of urgency here. I think it is shared pretty generally. There is a great deal of caution and apprehension about moving in this matter and a great deal of bilateral discussion is going on to prepare the ground for an effective four-Power discussion.

Sir B. Janner

Although the three Arab nations have stated that they are prepared to accept this resolution, is it not a fact that in all their statements they still declare that they are at war with Israel, and is not their acceptance subject to their having in mind the fact that certain steps will be taken which will allow them to do what they have done in the past and commit breaches of any other undertakings they have entered into?

Mr. Roberts

The whole purpose of the present negotiations and our efforts over the past 18 months is to effect a general solution which will make the conditions my hon. Friend has described impossible in future. I think there is some hope, now that both sides have accepted the resolution as a proper basis for a solution, that the four Powers may proceed to a composite discussion.