§ 2.41 p.m.
§ Lord BROCKWAYMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will propose to the Security Council of the United Nations that the Geneva Conference should be reconvened to seek a comprehensive settlement in the Middle East.
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, we believe that there may soon be a role for a reconvened Geneva Conference. It would need very careful preparation and it is for those directly involved to judge when the time is ripe for it to be reconvened.
§ Lord BROCKWAYMy Lords, I thank the Minister for his reply. For a change, I have little to ask him by way of supplementary questions. However, may I ask him this question. Although he has indicated that Her Majesty's Government are not directly involved, in view of the past history of the Middle East surely we are very much concerned indeed.
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, I do not think that my Answer indicated that we are not involved. We are indeed involved with others in the future of the Middle East, and we have played our part very honourably in trying to secure a just and lasting peace in this troubled area. As my right honourable friend has said in another place, and as I have sought to repeat here, we stand ready, to the utmost of our capacity, always to make our contribution to such a solution.
§ Lord CARRINGTONMy Lords, would not the noble Lord agree that on the face of it it appears that the reconvening of the Geneva Conference would lead to many difficulties?—not least the likelihood that its success would not be very obvious at the present time unless, as 194 the noble Lord says, there is very careful preparation. Would not the noble Lord and the Government try to encourage Dr. Kissinger and the American Government once again to start their negotiations which, I think your Lordships would agree, have more prospect of success?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, the possibility of a resumption of what one might properly call "the Kissinger technique", which achieved so much and came so near to final success, is not by any means ruled out by the distinct possibility of an early reconvening of the Geneva Conference. On the first point made by the noble Lord, I entirely agree that such a Conference would indeed be counter-productive, unless it was very carefully prepared beforehand.
§ Lord GLADWYNMy Lords, can the noble Lord say whether the possible reconvening of the Geneva Conference is in any way dependent upon the acceptance of the presence of the Palestine Liberation Organisation?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, attendance at the Conference would, of course, primarily be a matter for agreement among the principal parties involved.