§ 6. Mr. SternTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to visit Bulgaria.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no plans to visit Bulgaria at present.
§ Mr. SternI am grateful to my hon. and learned Friend for that reply. If he or his right hon. Friend has an opportunity to visit Bulgaria in the near future, will he advise whichever political party has failed to avoid taking power that week that the continual shilly-shallying and niggling while the economy collapses is doing no good to the country's reputation and risks losing the good will that was gained on its rapid transition to democracy earlier this year?
§ Mr. HoggWe are anxious to see Bulgaria move fast towards a process of economic liberalisation and political reform. I suspect that that involves a high degree of bipartisanship within the country. That is the observation that I would put to Bulgarian Ministers and officials should I meet them. Clearly, a bipartisan approach to such policies will enhance the country's reputation within the international community and domestically.
§ Mr. TredinnickAt a time when unity is on the minds of Conservative Members, will my right hon. Friend accept my congratulations on the great contribution that he has made to unity in the past 24 hours? Does my hon. and learned Friend agree that the way to unify both sides of the House in the European currency debate is the hard ecu, which offers——
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. This is about Bulgaria.
§ Mr. TredinnickDoes my hon. and learned Friend agree that were Bulgaria to join the European Community, the hard ecu would be of great relevance to it?
§ Mr. HoggI have received many compliments in my life, and those that I cherish most were made indirectly and unintentionally. But I do not think that I have ever contributed to unity in this place or anywhere else. If my hon. Friend meant my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, I entirely agree.