Lebanon

HC Deb 30 March 1977 vol 929 cc392-3

11. Mr. David Watkins

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on current relations between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of the Lebanon.

13. Mr. Temple-Morris

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on British relations with the Lebanon.

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. Frank Judd)

We have close relations with the Government of the Lebanon and have assured them of our willingness to do all we can to help the reconstruction of the country and the return to stability after the tragic war.

Mr. Watkins

Is my hon. Friend aware that that answer is very much to be welcomed? Is he also aware that it is estimated that there are at least 250,000 people in the Lebanon very severely disabled as a result of the civil war whom the Lebanon cannot help from its own limited resources? Will he give serious consideration to the possibility of British medical and rehabilitative help, if he has not already done so?

Mr. Judd

Last year we provided £500,000-worth of humanitarian assistance. I shall certainly bring the point my hon. Friend has just made to the attention of my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Overseas Development.

Mr. Temple-Morris

Is the Minister aware that the Lebanese Government have made it clear that there is a desperate need for technical assistance from us and that they have discounted financial assistance? Is he also aware that Her Majesty's Ambassador, together with engineers, recently visited the docks in Beirut, which were grievously damaged in the civil war? Will he assure us that every effort will be made to give British technical assistance to what is an outstandingly important commercial centre and a centre for free enterprise and the Western world in the Middle East?

Mr. Judd

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for that point. I assure him that in the aid we are providing technical co-operation is a priority. We shall be carefully considering what we can contribute to reconstruction.