§ 8. Mr. KnapmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made towards normalising relations with Argentina.
§ Mr. HurdWe continue to make good progress in many fields. For example, in trade, British exports grew by 50 per cent. in 1993, and there are good investment opportunities. We continue to disagree about sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, but we have an agreement on fisheries conservation and we expect to meet the Argentines in July to discuss oil. We also co-operate internationally: for example, British and Argentine troops are working side by side in UN peacekeeping operations in the former Yugoslavia and in Cyprus.
§ Mr. KnapmanDoes my right hon. Friend accept that historically Great Britain and Argentina have been firm friends and substantial trading partners? I am glad to hear that my right hon. Friend is doing all that he can to encourage that relationship, but what effect is the continuing claim by the Argentines to sovereignty over the Falkland Islands having on that relationship?
§ Mr. HurdThe relationship would certainly be much more straightforward and the prospects of co-operation between the islands and the mainland much clearer if the Argentines felt able to withdraw their claim.
§ Mr. DalyellWhen the Foreign Secretary came to the Latin American group yesterday he referred to the fragile fish breeding stocks. Is it likely that some agreement will be reached with Argentina on that important subject?
§ Mr. HurdThere is a temporary agreement, but it has worked reasonably well. It limits the number of licences that both sides—the Argentines and the islands—offer to fishing fleets, mainly from the far east, catching the illex squid. I should like to convert that into a longer-standing agreement so that fisheries authorities in Argentina and the islands will be assured of proper conservation and a reasonable future for the revenue that comes from fish.