§ 2. Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on recent political developments in the Warsaw pact countries.
§ Sir Geoffrey HoweThe Soviet Union, Poland and Hungary have taken welcome steps to liberalise their political and economic systems. That is in stark contrast to the situation in Czechoslovakia and Romania.
The openness of all countries in eastern Europe will be tested at the negotiations just opened in Vienna.
§ Mr. BoswellI thank my right hon. and learned Friend for his reply. Does he agree with me that eastern Europe is far from a monolith and that countries are proceeding towards political pluralism at different rates? Will my right hon. Friend support the advance guard, castigate the laggards to whom he has referred and tailor the Government's policies accordingly?
§ Sir Geoffrey HoweI entirely agree with my hon. Friend's approach, which is why I drew that distinction in my original answer. The record of Romania for flagrant disregard of her conference on security and co-operation in Europe obligations is the worst in the Warsaw pact. I made that extremely clear when I saw the Romanian Foreign Minister in Vienna on Monday.
The performance of Czechoslovakia is also far from good. We have spoken regularly to the Czech authorities—most recently after the imprisonment of the playwright, Mr. Havel.
§ Mr. Alex CarlileI share the Foreign Secretary's welcome for developments, especially in Hungary, but will he ensure that the European Community responds as positively as it can to those developments in encouraging trade between the Community and central European countries?
§ Sir Geoffrey HoweThe hon. and learned Gentleman is entirely right. The establishment of relations between the Community and Hungary has gone further than those with any other eastern European country. Hungary established the first trade and co-operation agreement with the Community and is certainly the most worthwhile interlocutor of the Warsaw pact countries.
§ Mr. MadelDoes my right hon. and learned Friend agree that there would be faster political progress in eastern Europe if east European countries were allowed to opt-out of the Warsaw pact?
§ Sir Geoffrey HoweThe important feature is that political progress is taking place in those countries notwithstanding their continued membership of the Warsaw pact. Their membership is a matter for determination between the Governments and it is important that continued membership should not inhibit the progress that is taking place in several of those countries.