§ 3.8 p.m.
§ Earl COWLEYMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
The Question was as follows:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the provisions of the 1971 Agreement signed by Britain and Argentina providing for communications between the Falkland Islands and the Argentine mainland, have been fully implemented and whether the Agreement is working satisfactorily.
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, the 1971 Agreement on communications has been fully implemented and the Agreement in general is working satisfactorily.
§ Earl COWLEYMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that reply. May I ask him whether he will confirm the hitherto bipartisan approach of opposing the transference of sovereignty against the democratically expressed wishes of the majority of the islanders? Also, as the noble Lord says that the Agreement has been fully implemented, may I ask whether it is not the case that this country was required to build a permanent airstrip under that Agreement, and can he say when this is to be done?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, I can confirm that what the noble Earl has set out is the continuing policy of Her Majesty's Government in regard to sovereignty and consultation with the islanders. As to the airstrip, it is a temporary' provision which must be dismantled as and when the permanent airfield, which is now being built on the Islands by British money, is completed. 181 I expect that it will be operational next spring.
§ Earl COWLEYMy Lords, will the noble Lord ensure that the islanders, or representatives of the islanders, are included in all British delegations in their substantive talks with the Argentine Government?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSYes, my Lords. It has always been our policy that representatives of the islanders should be present at all substantive talks, and this will continue to be our unchanging policy.