§ 15. Mr. MullinTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress of the peace process in Cambodia.
§ Mr. GoodladMuch progress has been made towards the implementation of the comprehensive political settlement of the Cambodia conflict. The United Nations transitional authority in Cambodia—UNTAC—was established on 28 February; repatriation of those Cambodians now in camps on the Thai-Cambodian border is continuing and the international community has pledged some $880 million of aid to help reconstruct Cambodia. We remain concerned, however, at the continuing unwillingness of the Khmer Rouge to co-operate with UNTAC.
§ Mr. MullinGiven that the failure of the Khmer Rouge to co-operate was predicted and predictable, does the Foreign Secretary regret that Britain went along with the Governments of China and the United States in sustaining the Khmer Rouge for a long period in the 1980s? Does he agree that sooner or later the Khmer Rouge will have to be confronted?
§ Mr. GoodladI am afraid that the hon. Gentleman, who I know takes an interest in these matters, is historically less than his usually accurate self. We did not sustain the Khmer Rouge. We remain concerned by its unwillingness 848 to co-operate with UNTAC, notably in moving to phase 2 of the ceasefire, and we have registered our concerns with the Khmer Rouge, most recently in the declaration that I made at the international conference on the reconstruction of Cambodia in Tokyo last week. It is vital that all factions work fully and unconditionally with UNTAC so as to move to phase 2 of the ceasefire as planned. We are determined to exert the maximum pressure on the Khmer Rouge to comply with its commitments under the Paris accords. The Supreme National Council will meet in Phnom Penh tomorrow to assess the situation. Thereafter, the United Nation's Secretary-General's special represen-tative will report to the secretary-general and the Security Council. Together with our international partners, we shall then need to consider what further action is required.
Mr. BowlsDoes my hon. Friend agree that we can keep pressure on the Khmer Rouge only if the peacefkeeping forces are provided with adequate troops? Can he confirm that the promises from the United Nations have now been fulfilled, because if the United Nations cannot control the Khmer Rouge the people of Cambodia certainly cannot and we shall be back to the real killing fields of Cambodia all too soon?
§ Mr. GoodladMy hon. Friend is absolutely right. It is intended that UNTAC should consist of just under 16,000 military personnel, 3,000 police, and up to 4,000 civilians, together with 60,000 locally recruited personnel. The cost are estimated at just under $1.7 billion. The deployment of UNTAC is on course, and most UNTAC troops are now in the country.