HC Deb 17 November 1976 vol 919 cc1310-2
3. Mr. Sproat

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the latest preparations he has made for the Belgrade Review Conference of the Helsinki Agreement.

The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. John Tomlinson)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Blackpool, South (Mr. Blaker) on 11th November. As the Belgrade Review Conference approaches, we shall of course intensify our consultations with our partners and allies. We are, moreover, maintaining a careful record of the degree of progress on implementation achieved by the participating States, with a view to making a full contribution to the Review Conference.

Mr. Sproat

I thank the hon. Gentleman for that reply. Is it the Government's intention to press that the Belgrade Review Conference be held at a political level and not just at civil servants' level? In his preparations for the conference, what consideration is the hon. Gentleman giving to the arguments increasingly heard that the transfer of Western technology and expertise to the Soviet Union enables the Soviet Union to free other resources, which can then be used for purposes hostile to the West?

Mr. Tomlinson

The Government fully recognise the political importance of the Belgrade meetings. However, it is too early to think of formulating negotiating positions. We are in close touch with many other participating States in order to monitor progress and closely examine areas in which further progress can be made. It is too early to be talking about the detail of the negotiating mandate.

Mr. Thorpe

As the Government are rightly monitoring progress, can the hon. Gentleman confirm that the Prime Minister received by hand a letter from Mr. Andrei Sakharov relating the conditions in which Mr. Vladimir Bukovsky is being kept in prison in Russia? What reply does he propose to give to that letter or, even better, what pressure does he propose to bring upon the Soviet Government to release Mr. Bukovsky?

Mr. Tomlinson

I am not in a position to confirm details about a particular letter, but I can make clear, as I have before, that over the past year we have on a number of occasions raised individual cases with the Soviet Union and other Eastern European countries. Those concerned have been left in no doubt about the strength of feeling which rightly exists in the House and the country on all these matters, which will continue to be pressed on every possible opportune occasion with the utmost vigour.

Mr. James Lamond

Will my hon. Friend give one or two examples of the things that this country has done as a result of signing the Helsinki Agreement? For example, have we made it easier and quicker to obtain visas to visit this country?

Mr. Tomlinson

In addition to our frequent consultations with the other CSCE countries, to which I have referred, we have in particular recently notified a military manoeuvre—"Exercise Spear-point", in the Federal Republic of Germany—and we are taking action in a number of fields to develop contacts with the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. We have made clear on a number of occasions exactly what needs to be done to facilitate freer movement of people between countries.

Mr. Maudling

In view of the hon. Gentleman's answer about individual cases will he confirm that the Government have received the same response as we on the Conservative Benches have had when we have put individual cases to the Soviet authorities—namely, complete silence?

Mr. Tomlinson

I am not in a position to confirm that. There have been a num- ber of exchanges of view, some of which have been more successful than others. I do not consider it a laughing matter. Every opportunity has been taken to put individual cases as forcefully as possible, so that nobody can be left in any doubt about our feelings. Some approaches receive more response than others.