§ 2. Sir Anthony Meyerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will convene a meeting of European Ministers responsible for home affairs to discuss a joint approach to the problems posed by international terrorism.
§ The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. William Whitelaw)I am planning to hold a meeting of European Community Ministers of the Interior and Ministers of Justice with equivalent responsibilities during the period of the United Kingdom Presidency later this year. This will monitor the work that is already being done to promote co-operation in tackling international terrorism and will consider proposals for furthering that co-operation.
§ Sir Anthony MeyerDoes not effective action against international terrorism require international action, able to operate as freely across national frontiers as the FBI operates across State borders in the United States? Although it is clearly desirable that such an organisation should be world-wide, is not the European Community, with its supra-national possibilities, the place in which to start such an organisation going?
§ Mr. WhitelawThere is co-operation between the countries of the Community and much wider. The police co-operation, both through Interpol and in other ways, has achieved considerable results. It is important that it should. Certain restraints must be considered and that is the purpose of such meetings. International co-operation against terrorism is working as well as I believe it can. Without such co-operation things would be more difficult than they are.
§ Mr. Ioan EvansFollowing the European meeting of Ministers, will the Home Secretary consider taking the matter to the United Nations, because if we are to deal with international terrorism it must be dealt with on a worldwide basis?
§ Mr. WhitelawI am strongly in favour of discussions among different countries. I have had some with my counterparts, particularly Herr Baum in the Federal Republic of Germany, and others. I shall pursue it on that basis. We are more likely to achieve more by individual contacts than by a wide debate in the United Nations.
§ Mr. FarrBefore my right hon. Friend enters into any such initiative, will he ascertain the views of the incoming Irish Minister for Home Affairs as the Irish Government refused to ratify the Council of Europe convention against terrorism?
§ Mr. WhitelawThe purpose of any such meeting would be to sound out the views not only of the incoming Irish Minister but of the incoming French Minister and almost all the incoming Ministers except Herr Baum of Germany and myself.