§ 7. Mr. Martenasked the Secretary of State for Defence what are the British defence obligations to Oman.
§ Mr. MulleyThere are no legal obligations as such, but we second personnel to serve with the Sultan's Armed Forces, and we train Omani personnel in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. MartenIn view of the current situation in the Gulf, are the Government prepared, so far as they can be, to respond to requests for help from Oman?
§ Mr. MulleyWe shall look with great sympathty on such requests as we may receive. We have, however, to await requests and deal with them when they arrive.
§ Mr. GrocottIs my right hon. Friend assured that the quality of the advice which the Government are receiving on 1290 the stability of the regime in Oman and the degree of its popular support is of a higher order than that which we recently received on the regime in Iran?
§ Mr. MulleyThese questions are primarily for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. However, I have no reason to doubt that we receive proper advice. It is then for Ministers to deal with that advice.
§ Mr. BlakerIn recent years, has not Oman been the subject of sustained and unprovoked aggression from South Yemen, encouraged and assisted by the Soviet Union? Has the Secretary of State any reason to imagine that such aggression will not be repeated, especially if the co-operation of Britain with Oman were to cease?
§ Mr. MulleyWe have no plans to change the present arrangements which, I understand, the Government in Oman wish to continue.
§ Mr. NewensAre British forces in Oman there to defend democracy and democratic values? Will my right hon. Friend assure the House that he is convinced that such values exist there?
§ Mr. MulleyThe British personnel in Oman, as I said in my initial answer, are seconded. They are not serving in their capacity as members of the British forces. Their role is exclusively to train Omani personnel so that they can gradually take over these responsibilities themselves.