HC Deb 18 March 1981 vol 1 cc274-5
5. Dr. M. S. Miller

asked the Lord Privy Seal what consultations have taken place Syria in connection with peace moves in the Middle East.

10. Mr. Woodall

asked the Lord Privy Seal what consultations have taken place with Jordan in the context of the European Economic Community proposals for a Middle East peace.

Sir Ian Gilmour

Mr. van der Klaauw, the Netherlands Foreign Minister, visited Syria and Jordan last month on behalf of the 10 members of the European Community in order to discuss the practical issues involved in a peace settlement, as decided by the European Council meeting of 2 December. I paid bilateral visits to Jordan and Syria from 1 to 6 February. The prospects for a peaceful settlement of the Arab-Israel dispute were among the subjects discussed.

Dr. Miller

Has the right hon. Gentleman got clear from the Syrians whether they still have eyes on the whole of the land of Palestine? The next time he is in the vicinity of Aleppo or Damascus, will he make clear that the interests of the area and the interests of Syria would be best served by coming to an agreement with Israel, as the one country in the area which can be of benefit to the whole of the Middle East?

Sir Ian Gilmour

I agree that Syria would be well advised to come to an agreement with Israel, just as Israel would be well advised to come to an agreement with Syria. We all support that. I agree with the hon. Gentleman. As far as I know, Syria does not, as he put it, have its eyes on the whole of Palestine. As the hon. Gentleman knows, the Syrian Government have., since the 1973 war, always accepted Security Council resolution No. 338, thereby implicitly accepting No. 242. I have no doubt that, both from their public and private statements, they support a negotiated peace.

Mr. Woodall

What talks have taken place with Jordan to try to persuade it to recognise Israel? What talks has the right hon. Gentleman had with Jordan to persuade it to enter into peace talks, whether at Camp David or anywhere else, with a view to bringing a long-term peace to the Middle East?

Sir Ian Gilmour

As King Hussein has for a long time made clear, Jordan has supported a peaceful settlement of the Middle East controversy. That has always been his view. He has been explicit on that point for many years. But if the hon. Gentleman is referring to the so-called Jordanian option, King Hussein, like many other people, has made it plain that, although Jordan has an important part to play in peace negotiations, there can be no question of Jordan cutting out the Palestinians.

Sir Anthony Kershaw

I believe that my right hon. Friend has already said so, but is it not clear that it would be very much against the interests of Jordan to take the lead in the matter of the West Bank and quite impossible to rely on that as a stepping stone to future policy?

Sir Ian Gilmour

I entirely agree with my hon. Friend. That has been agreed throughout the Arab world ever since the Rabat conference with which King Hussein thoroughly agreed. He has made it clear that the so-called Jordanian option is not a real option.

Mr. Hooley

Now that the Knesset has wisely thrown out the stupid and provocative Bill purporting to annexe the Golan—Syrian territory, would it not be a further advance if Israel began to remove its settlements and military forces from Syria?

Sir Ian Gilmour

I have already made our view clear to the House and to the hon. Gentleman on settlements in the occupied territories. We think that they are illegal and have no doubt that they are an obstacle to peace.

Mr. Churchill

What grounds can my right hon. Friend advance for believing that the PLO is any more representative of the wishes and aspirations of the Palestinian people than the IRA is of the Irish Catholic community in Northern Ireland?

Sir Ian Gilmour

I do not think that my hon. Friend can be serious in asking that question.

Mr. Churchill

Indeed I am.

Sir Ian Gilmour

It has often been shown, both in the Republic of Ireland and in the North, that the IRA enjoys virtually no popular support. If my hon. Friend believes that the PLO enjoys no popular support among the Palestinians, either on the West Bank, in the refugee camps or elsewhere, he should go there and find out for himself.