Middle East (Hansard, 16 July 1975)

§ 15. Mr. Leslie Huckfield
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in the Middle East; and whether he will make a statement.

§ 16. Mr. Goodhart
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further discussions he has had with the American Secretary of State about the Middle East.

§ Mr. Ennals
Over the past month my right hon. Friend has had talks with the Foreign Ministers of Egypt and Syria. He was also present when my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister saw Mr. Rabin on 10th June. My right hon. Friend met Dr. Kissinger briefly on 12th July. The content of these discussions must, of course, remain confidential.

§ Mr. Huckfield
Following the abstention, at the International Women's Year Conference in Mexico, by the British 1491 delegation on certain resolutions, including Zionism, and following the recent vote of the Islamic conference at Jedda to decide to try to expel Israel from the United Nations, if a proposal for Israel's expulsion comes before the United Nations, how will the British delegation vote?

§ Mr. Ennals
Dealing with the first part of my hon. Friend's supplementary question, at the International Women's Year Conference in Mexico, in every vote in which there was reference to Zionism, Her Majesty's Government made their position quite clear. It was only the final declaration that we did not support, and we abstained because, had we voted against it, we would have voted against the principal objectives of the declaration which were concerned with the rights of women. I do not think that my hon. Friend would have wanted us to do that.
I made it clear earlier that we feel strongly that it would be wrong, that it would be damaging to the interests of the United Nations, and that it would run contrary to the spirit and universality of the United Nations, for any action to be taken seeking to exclude a member State and—in answer to my hon. Friend—any proposal for the exclusion or suspension of Israel.

§ Mr. Goodhart
Will the right hon. Gentleman give his unqualified support to the speech of Dr. Kissinger at the University of Wisconsin, condemning moves to exclude States from membership of the United Nations? Does he agree that, although the move of the conference at Jedda to expel Israel from the United Nations would be unfortunate at any time, it is especially unhelpful at this moment, when peace negotiations in the Middle East are balanced so delicately?

§ Mr. Ennals
Such an initiative would be unhelpful. Following the conference in Jedda, we cannot at this stage say exactly what initiatives will be taken in the United Nations. I think that most of us hope that reason will prevail.

§ Mrs. Millie Miller
Is my right hon. Friend aware that at the International Women's Conference in Mexico the implications of the resolutions, which were passed by a substantial majority of the disunited nations, imply not just expelling 1492 Israel from the United Nations but the elimination of that country? What steps would Her Majesty's Government take to ensure that any threats of this type would be resisted strongly?

§ Mr. Ennals
The House is well aware of the policy of Her Majesty's Government which, in this connection, is based, as it has been for years, on Resolution No. 242, which fully accepts the right of Israel to live within secure and recognised frontiers while at the same time recognising the need for Israeli withdrawal. These two policies have to be looked at together. It would be quite wrong to take one part of a policy and say that it is the whole of the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

§ Mr. Maudling
Can the Minister confirm reports that we have heard this morning that the Egyptian Government are asking that the United Nations' presence in the area should be terminated? Is he aware that this will cause great concern in Israel, not so much for the immediate position but for the long-term prospects of a stable reliance on the United Nations? Can he say what the Government's attitude to this is?

§ Mr. Ennals
It is true that the Foreign Minister of Egypt, Mr. Fahmi, has written to the Security Council. It is a matter which will have to be considered by the Security Council. It is important that the UN emergency force, as the right hon. Gentleman said, should be enabled to continue its task after the end of its present mandate on 24th July. The House will agree that the proximity of the date emphasises the urgency of achieving success in the current negotiations to reach a further partial agreement between Egypt and Israel.