§ Mr. Soamesasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the amount of aid her Majesty's Government will be extending to Mozambique in 1988–789.
§ Mr. Chris PattenWe expect to maintain a substantial aid programme to Mozambique in 1988–89. Figures will be announced in due course in the usual way. We shall also remain ready to contribute food aid and emergency relief.
§ Mr. SoamesAlthough I congratulate my hon. Friend on the imaginative programme that he has introduced for Mozambique, does he agree that Britain has some important interests in a stable Mozambique? Will he do all that he can to ensure that if any EEC food surpluses are available for that region, Mozambique has the first charge upon them?
§ Mr. PattenI very much agree with my hon. Friend's first point. I hope that Mozambique will soon agree on a programme with the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, which we shall support when it happens. As for food aid, I am pleased to be able to tell my hon. Friend that following my visit to Mozambique we immediately raised the question of food aid in Brussels. A further 60,000 tonnes of cereals was agreed by the Commission on 3 March. Much of it will be provided from Zimbabwe.
§ Mr. KirkwoodBearing in mind the fact that economic security cannot exist in the absence of military security, and having regard to the problems of Mozambique at present, do the Government have any plans to increase military aid to the front-line states and to Mozambique in particular?
§ Mr. PattenAlthough the matter is not strictly within my terms of reference, I can confirm that we are helping with the training of the Mozambiquean armed forces, and we are also providing battalion unit training for the Zimbabwe army.
§ Mr. Bowen WellsIs not a major cause of Mozambique's difficulties and need for food aid the disruptive tactics of the Republic of South Africa to the south, supporting the guerrillas within the country, who are disrupting the normal flows of supply? This happens throughout the Southern African Development Coordination Conference countries. What thoughts have my hon. Friend and his Department given to supporting those countries that are being seriously disadvantaged by the sanctions being imposed on South Africa and South Africa's retaliation?
§ Mr. PattenWe have continued to urge restraint on South Africa in relation to Mozambique and the other front-line states, and we have continued to urge South Africa to stick to the Nkomati accord.
§ Mr. AndersonI welcome the new warmth in the relationship between our country and Mozambique and the coming visit of President Chissano, but what are the Government doing about South Africa's destabilisation policies, which are destroying the very infrastructure that the Government are seeking to assist? Are we telling the South Africans that they cannot get away with arming and financing these rebels, who are surrogates of South Africa and destroying our aid efforts?
§ Mr. PattenIn answer to the previous questions I have already referred to the representations that we have made to the South African Government. As I was able to make clear at the meeting of SADCC in February, we are also providing more support to help the front-line states become more independent economically of South Africa.