§ 5. Mr. James Lamondasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will recall Her Majesty's ambassador to Chile for consultations on United Kingdom relations with opposition parties there; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. EggarNo. Our policy is to bring about the early restoration of democracy in Chile; to maintain close contact with opposition leaders; and to encourage Opposition leaders' efforts to open a full dialogue with the Chilean Government.
§ Mr. LamondWhat is all this about our ambassador interfering in the internal elections of the Chile Christian Democratic party by trying to push the chances of the extreme Right-wing contestant, unsuccessfully as it happened? There are even rumours that the Right-wing party has been obtaining money from the British Tory party. Which side are we on, Pinochet's or Britain's?
§ Mr. EggarThe hon. Gentleman has a fertile imagination. We are on the side of improving human rights within Chile. We have consistently backed support for the national opposition parties.
§ Mr. WilkinsonDoes my hon. Friend agree that it would be much better for our excellent ambassador to remain in place to monitor that Government's decision last week to allow political parties again, after 13 years without them, to monitor a return of exiles to Chile, and to improve our already good relations with that country, which has a serious terrorist threat fomented and actively supported by Cuba and other countries?
§ Mr. EggarI entirely agree with my hon. Friend. The presence of an ambassador in Santiago is the best way available to us of ensuring that pressure for change can be applied at the highest levels. I notice that the views of Labour Members contrast significantly with the way in which they constantly urge us to increase our representation in Managua.
§ Mr. Tony LloydIn the light of an earlier supplementary question, will the Minister take this chance to deny categorically that the ambassador was involved in paving the way for the rumoured coup against Pinochet, in which the United States is supposed to have been involved, in order to replace him with a Christian Democrat?
§ Mr. FoulkesDoes the Minister recall that the Prime Minister recently invited released Soviet dissidents to No. 10 Downing street? Will the Minister therefore encourage the Prime Minister to demonstrate her evenhandedness by also inviting to No. 10 Downing street Pedro Fernandez Lembach, who arrived back in the United Kingdom last year after a campaign here to get him released from Pinochet's jail? Now that he is back in the United Kingdom he should also be welcomed to No. 10 Downing street like the Soviet dissidents.
§ Mr. EggarMay I wish the hon. Gentleman a happy birthday. I shall not divulge his age to the House. We very much appreciate the role that he, among other hon. Members on both sides of the House, played in urging the Chilean Government to release Pedro Lembach. I have made clear to the Chilean Government our welcome for that release.