Helsinki Agreement

HC Deb 31 October 1979 vol 972 cc1211-3

8. Mr. Sproat

asked the Lord Privy Seal what latest progress has been made in preparation for the Madrid review conference.

Mr. Blaker

We are continuing our regular consultations with our partners in the Nine and with other Western countries in NATO and in the Council of Europe. We have already had a number of bilateral contacts with other signatories of the Final Act, including countries of Eastern Europe, and these contacts will continue between now and the Madrid meeting.

Mr. Sproat

Will my hon. Friend take the opportunity at the forthcoming Madrid conference, as well as now, to condemn in the strongest terms the action of the Czech authorities in sentencing six of their citizens to severe terms of imprisonment for doing no more than they are allowed to do under the Helsinki Agreement? What action has been taken by my hon. Friend's Department to condemn the Czechs for this, and how does he intend to ensure at Madrid that these breaches of the Helsinki Agreement are publicly and firmly dealt with?

Mr. Blaker

We have taken a number of steps to make clear to the Czechoslovak authorities our revulsion at the action that they have taken against supporters of the Charter 77 movement and to show that we deplore the sentences that were passed on six members of that movement on 23 October. My right hon. Friend made this perfectly clear to the visiting Czech Energy Minister when he saw him last week. On another occasion we made our views perfectly clear to the Czech authorities bilaterally. The Government of the Republic of Ireland, acting on behalf of the Nine European Community countries, have also issued a statement expressing the deep concern of all the member States about the Czechoslovak action.

Mr. Winnick

Does the Minister agree that what has happened in Czechoslovakia should be condemned, as it has indeed been condemned by the National Executive of the Labour Party? Is he aware that it seems like hypocrisy for some Tories to condemn what has happened in Czechoslovakia, while condoning tyrannies in South Africa, Chile and a number of other places?

Mr. Blaker

As has been said, we value human rights in all parts of the world. There is absolutely no doubt about that.

Mr. Lawrence

Is my hon. Friend aware that both sides of the House feel quite strongly that this is hardly the time for us to reduce the BBC's overseas service? If, later this week, an announcement is to be made that there will be a compromise reduction, that will not give any encouragement to those of us who feel strongly about the issue. If substantial cuts need to be made in the foreign service, my hon. Friend might direct his attention to the triplication of functions that goes on in our Embassy in Washington between the three Armed Services.

Mr. Blaker

I think that my hon. Friend has gone a certain distance from the original question. However, as he said, there will soon be an announcement about the BBC's external service.

Mr. Shore

We entirely share the view expressed from the Conservative Back Benches in relation to the BBC's external service, and we also share the Minister's view in condemning the recent and wholly unjustified trials in Prague. Will he particularly press on the Czech authorities the fact that their exclusion of legal and other observers from the West at those trials is particularly resented?

Mr. Blaker

I entirely agree with the right hon. Gentleman. Our embassy attempted to send an observer to the trial, but he was excluded. That is one serious aspect. The other serious aspect is that the accused were being tried for exercising their rights under the Helsinki Agreement—an agreement into which their Government freely entered.