Syria (Hansard, 25 January 1984)

§ 14. Mr. Janner
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what improvement there has been in relations between the United Kingdom and Syria, following the Minister of State's visit to that country.

§ Sir Geoffrey Howe
Although we disagree on a number of issues, we seek to maintain a constructive dialogue with the Syrian Government. I had useful talks with President Assad and the Syrian Foreign Minister during my visit to Damascus on 11 and 12 January.

§ Mr. Janner
Does the right hon. and learned Gentleman accept that it is essential for peace in the Lebanon that Syrian troops should get out of that sad country, along with the rest, which they have persistently refused to do? If so, did he express this view to President Assad, and what response did he get?

§ Sir Geoffrey Howe
We did, indeed, have a full discussion of the Lebanon, and we made it plain to the Syrian Government that the withdrawal of Syrian troops from the Lebanon is one of the features necessary to secure an ultimate settlement in that country. The Syrians of course take the view that their troops are there on a different basis from those of other countries. They have other difficulties, in particular in relation to the 17 May agreement. We pressed them and, indeed, have pressed others, not to let that agreement become an obstacle to progress. I urged the Syrian Government to be flexible over arrangements that would have to be made for the withdrawal of all foreign forces, including their own.

§ Mr. Walters
In his talks with President Assad, was my right hon. and learned Friend able to point out clearly 910 that Her Majesty's Government remain firmly committed to resolution 242, which calls for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from all Arab-occupied territory, including Golan? Will he do everything in his power to try to help to improve relations between Syria and Jordan, as that would play an important part in any subsequent peace negotiations?

§ Sir Geoffrey Howe
Most of my time with Ministers in Syria was devoted to the immediately pressing topics, geographically and practically, arising out of Lebanon, but I made plain the Government's view that the way forward to a settlement of the main Arab-Israel dispute had to be founded essentially on the propositions contained in the Venice declaration. I did not have an opportunity of discussing relationships between Syria and Jordan, but I note the point that my hon. Friend made.

§ Mr. Healey
Does the Foreign Secretary agree that now that the ceasefire talks have broken down for the umpteenth time and the talks for national conciliation between the various factions in the Lebanon have also broken down, in part because of American intervention on the side of the Gemayel Government, the time has come when Britain should take the initiative in organising the withdrawal of the so-called multinational force from the Lebanon?

§ Sir Geoffrey Howe
The right hon. Gentleman must understand that the participants in the multinational force, together with much moderate opinion in the middle east, believe that the precipitate withdrawal, along the lines that the right hon. Gentleman has in mind, of the multinational force would be quite irresponsible. It would undermine the prospects of success for the Lebanese Government; it would damage the prospects of reconciliation there, and it would run the real risk of promoting a new outburst of bloodshed, which the right hon. Gentleman would be the first to regret.