Middle East (Hansard, 24 July 1985)

§ 1. Ms. Clare Short
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will agree to meet the joint Jordanian-Palestinian delegation to discuss King Hussein's middle east peace initiative.

§ The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Sir Geoffrey Howe)
We support King Hussein's courageous initiative. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and I had a useful discussion with the King on 19 July. We are examining with him how best we can encourage the current movement towards peace negotiations. We have also welcomed the Israeli Prime Minister's proposals of 10 June as a useful contribution to narrowing the gap between the parties.

§ Ms. Short
The Secretary of State must be aware that there is now a real danger that that initiative will run out of steam, and the Palastinian people will conclude that there is no way in which diplomacy will bring them a just solution. That is a grave danger for the situation in the middle east. Could not the British Government have a little more courage and, instead of whispering in the ear of the American Government, stand up publicly and agree to meet the delegation in order to move the whole initiative forward?

§ Sir Geoffrey Howe
The hon. Lady is right to emphasise the importance of keeping the movement towards peace moving in that direction. It is wrong to cast any judgment on our lack of courage or insight. We are looking continually at all the possible moves that we can make to help the process forward. The key point is that what is necessarily a step-by-step approach is kept moving in the right direction and that each step that we take will help and not hinder that process.

§ Mr. Walters
In order to assist King Hussein in his peace efforts, would it not be helpful for Her Majesty's Government to announce their willingness to receive the joint Jordanian-Palestinian delegation in advance of the United States doing so? Should we not appear to be one step ahead of the Americans in this matter, and not one step behind?

§ Sir Geoffrey Howe
My hon. Friend is right to draw attention to the need to judge these matters carefully. 'We shall certainly be making a judgment in response to such suggestions in the way that we judge, after consultation with the King, to be most likely to take the process forward.

§ Mr. Janner
The right hon. and learned Gentleman has welcomed the statement by Prime Minister Peres, who I am sure he will agree is a man of peace. Does the right hon. and learned Gentleman know that it is the expressed view of Prime Minister Peres that, far from the Hussein initiative hastening the way to peace, it will stand in the way of direct negotiations between the parties, which provide the best hope for a true solution to a very difficult problem?

§ Sir Geoffrey Howe
Despite my overwhelming respect for the hon. and learned Gentleman's accuracy and my awareness of his concern in the matter, I am not sure that he accurately summarises what Prime Minister Peres said. The important thing is to take into account how easy it is for misunderstandings to arise in the matter and to make sure that progress is being maintained in the direction and with the objective of direct and effective negotiations in the cause of peace.

§ Mr. Temple-Morris
Will my right hon. and learned Friend congratulate King Hussein on his sincere efforts to achieve peace in the middle east? Will he do his utmost to swing the moderate Arab states behind King Hussein and secure appropriate representation on the delegation? In all the circumstances, will he take it on board that it is the wish of many right hon. and hon. Members that he meets the delegation?

§ Sir Geoffrey Howe
I understand the point in the last part of my hon. Friend's question and the extent to which it is supported. As he says, it is right to encourage Palestinians who are committed to working for peace, all of those moderate leaders in the Arab world who are committed to the same cause, and all those in Israel as well.

§ Mr. Latham
Will my right hon. and learned Friend ensure that he does nothing to jeopardise Mr. Richard Murphy's American diplomatic initiative and that any deputation that is received here contains names that are also acceptable to the Americans?

§ Sir Geoffrey Howe
Each question that is asked on this matter shows the many factors that one must keep in mind and the many components that could be constructive that one must take care not to jeopardise. I have well in mind the points that my hon. Friend made.

§ Mr. Anderson
This is a courageous initiative which is clearly at a delicate stage. Will the Foreign Secretary confirm that the Government have no objection in principle to meeting the joint delegation? Will he also confirm that the Government believe that these moves towards a partial settlement on the lines of Camp David 1023 are more likely to be productive than is a generalised peace conference, and that there are real signs of progress, especially as the Soviets seem more willing to recognise the existence of the state of Israel?

§ Sir Geoffrey Howe
One cannot be sure about the validity of the hon. Gentleman's last point. He is right to call attention to the hazards, as he put it, of a generalised peace conference, certainly at this stage. The important thing is to take steps that are necessary and right at each stage to encourage moderate leadership on both sides to come closer together and, eventually, to negotiations.