HC Deb 01 December 1998 vol 321 cc656-7
2. Mr. Lawrie Quinn (Scarborough and Whitby)

When he next expects to meet President Arafat to discuss the implementation of the Wye agreement; and if he will make a statement. [61420]

4. Mr. Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow)

If he will make a statement on the current situation regarding the middle east peace process. [61382]

The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Robin Cook)

We will be doing everything we can to build on the breakthrough in the middle east peace process secured at Wye Plantation. Yesterday, the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my right hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, Central (Mr. Fatchett), who has responsibility for middle eastern affairs, attended the donors' conference in Washington, and he has flown through the night to be with us today. He announced a package of assistance to the Palestinian authority and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees in the near east totalling more than £100 million, both bilateral and European Union.

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister met President Arafat in London immediately before the Wye talks and we both met Mr. Netanyahu last week. We have congratulated both President Arafat and Mr. Netanyahu on their statesmanship in achieving the Wye agreement and on their courage on the start to implementing it.

Mr. Quinn

I thank my right hon. Friend for that statement. Does he agree that both the Prime Minister of Israel and President Arafat have shown considerable courage in concluding the Wye agreement? Will he tell us how the Government, with their European partners, will ensure that both sides show the same resolve after this period of negotiation to move to a final and lasting peace in the middle east?

Mr. Cook

I very much share the sentiments behind my hon. Friend's question. As I announced, Britain is committed to major financial support for the peace process and is the largest donor to UNRWA, which deals with so many of the Palestinian social issues. One way in which Europe can greatly assist in taking forward the peace process is by achieving momentum on economic issues. I am delighted that we have secured the opening of Gaza airport and we must now achieve the same for the Gaza seaport. If we want peace to be deeply rooted, we must prove to ordinary Palestinians in Gaza and the west bank that they will also benefit in material terms from the peace process.

Mr. Gerrard

Does my right hon. Friend agree that, important though the Wye agreement may be, the fundamental foundation for lasting peace must be the Oslo accords and UN resolutions, some of which have still not been implemented, and which recognise the illegality of the occupation of the west bank and of the continued expansion of settlements there? Will he do what he can to emphasise to both sides, but in particular to the Government of Israel, that lasting peace and real security can be achieved only through honouring the promises made at Oslo?

Mr. Cook

My hon. Friend is right to draw attention to the fact that, although the Wye Plantation agreement is an important step, we have a long way to go. The significance of that agreement is that it is a step in the right direction, and it gives us an opportunity to build momentum to take us towards the final stages talks that were envisaged at Oslo. On the settlements, I said last week when Mr. Netanyahu was here, and have said on many occasions, that we would not want either side to take any provocative unilateral action that made it difficult to make progress on peace negotiations.

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