Kampuchea (Hansard, 7 December 1983)

§ 3. Mr. George Robertson
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government on the recognition of a Government of Kampuchea.

§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. Richard Luce)
It remains our view that there are no authorities in Cambodia with which we can deal as a Government.

§ Mr. Robertson
What conceivable justification can there be for the Government continuing to support the United Nations recognition of the coalition that includes the mass murderer Pol Pot as the representative of Kampuchea? Will the Government reconsider their stance with regard to bilateral aid, bearing in mind that such aid is urgently needed by the long-suffering people of Kampuchea?

§ Mr. Luce
As the hon. Gentleman knows, in 1979 we withdrew recognition from the Pol Pot Government and accepted the recommendations of the United Nations Credentials Committee that it should give credentials to the three main component parts of the resistance coalition. The Government face two alternatives, neither of which is perfect. The alternative to supporting the resistance coalition is supporting the occupation of Cambodia by 150,000 Vietnamese troops. That would be wholly wrong. We gave £500,000 this year to multilateral bodies which help Cambodians who cross the border and need support, most of which is medical.

§ Mr. Bowen Wells
Although I accept my hon. Friend's explanation of the difficulties in which we find ourselves in relation to Kampuchea, may I ask him two questions —[HON. MEMBERS: "One question."]—one question, in two parts? Is it not right that we normally recognise Governments who are the de facto Governments of their countries? Does my hon. Friend agree that the de facto Government in Kampuchea is that of Heng Samrin? If such recognition should take place, however distasteful it might be, we could begin to assist those who are suffering seriously from human rights abuses and deprivation in that country.

§ Mr. Luce
One criterion that we must take into account is whether a Government have effective control over all the territory of a country. Another factor at the moment, however, is that if the 150,000 Vietnamese troops were not in Cambodia that Government would have virtually no control. I cannot believe that it is right to support the existence of Vietnamese troops in Cambodia.