§ 4. Mr. Mike Gapes (Ilford, South)When he next plans to meet the leaders of India and Pakistan to discuss nuclear issues; and if he will make a statement. [74910]
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. Derek Fatchett)My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I discussed non-proliferation and regional security issues with Brajesh Mishra, the principal secretary to the Indian Prime Minister and the National Security Adviser, and with Jaswant Singh, the Indian Foreign Minister, during their respective visits to the UK in January and February. I discussed nuclear issues with Foreign Minister Kanju during my visit to Pakistan in February.
§ Mr. GapesI am grateful for that reply. Does my right hon. Friend welcome recent indications of improved relations between India and Pakistan, particularly the cricket tour by a Pakistani team to India and the visit by the Indian Prime Minister to meet his counterpart in Pakistan? Is my right hon. Friend aware that the hundreds of thousands of people in the UK who have family connections with India and Pakistan look forward to nothing other than good and normal relations between those two important Commonwealth countries?
§ Mr. FatchettI very much agree that the recent talks between the two Prime Ministers in Lahore could herald a new start for relations between India and Pakistan. We wish both countries well. Confidence-building measures are an important first step towards tackling some difficult security and political issues. It is in all our interests, and particularly in the interests of economic and political development in south Asia, that the talks should continue and progress be made.
§ Sir Raymond Whitney (Wycombe)When the Foreign Secretary next meets the leaders of India and Pakistan, will he again raise with them the question of Kashmir? If so—
§ Madam SpeakerOrder. Questions further down the Order Paper relate to Kashmir, but this question is on 872 nuclear issues. If the hon. Gentleman wishes to ask a question about the nuclear issue, he may. We will wait until later for Kashmir.
§ Mr. Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold)Can the Minister confirm that recent discussions between the Indian and Pakistani Prime Ministers covered nuclear proliferation? Were any steps taken towards nuclear reduction by both sides? I visited both Pakistan and India Kashmir a while ago, and it seemed that if there could be progress on Kashmir, there would be scope for nuclear reduction. Has the Minister looked into that matter?
§ Madam SpeakerOrder. We are on nuclear issues.
§ Mr. FatchettThe hon. Gentleman was right, however, Madam Speaker, to say that there is a relationship between Kashmir and the nuclear issue. Kashmir comes up later, I know, and I—
§ Madam SpeakerOrder. I am going to be firm. Back-Bench Members have tabled questions on Kashmir and it is totally unfair of other hon. Members to jump the gun. If the Minister is willing to answer only on nuclear issues, I will hear him. I will not hear him on the Kashmir situation.
§ Mr. FatchettIndeed, Madam Speaker. The nuclear issues were discussed at Lahore, and it is crucial for the region's security that India and Pakistan should sign up to the comprehensive test ban treaty and the range of other non-proliferation treaties. That would lessen the risks of instability in the region and of nuclear or conventional war on Kashmir or other issues. It is vital that we all engage in encouraging India and Pakistan to take such non-proliferation steps, and we shall do so.