§ 3.10 p.m.
§ Lord DENMANMy 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 what steps they propose to take to restore to total harmony relations between the United Kingdom and the Yemen Arab Republic following the seizure at Heathrow Airport on 30th November last of the aircraft which the Prime Minister of the Yemen was about to board after an official visit to this country.
§ Lord CARRINGTONMy Lords, Her Majesty's Government deeply regret this incident which came at the end of the first—and very successful—visit by a North Yemen Prime Minister. However, I am glad to inform the House that the aircraft left for Sana'a on 19th January. I hope that our two countries can now begin to draw benefit from the Prime Minister's visit. I have sent a message suggesting that the Minister of State at the Foreign Office, Mr. Hurd, might soon visit the Yemen Arab Republic.
§ Lord DENMANMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that very helpful reply. Will it also be possible to take a look at the development of further aid to that country in order to demonstrate our goodwill to them?
§ Lord CARRINGTONMy Lords, the aid budget and the aid programme are under very severe strain. I doubt whether we could do much more in the way of aid. However, I think that there is quite a lot that we could do in the way of trade. Nobody is more aware of that than my noble friend.
Lord PAGET of NORTHAMPTONMy Lords, can the noble Lord tell us whether, in his view, after Afghanistan and events like that, our relationship with Communist Administrations can be described as "total harmony"?
§ Lord CARRINGTONMy Lords, I do not quite understand the noble Lord's question. The Yemen Arab Republic is not a Communist Government.
§ Lord CARRINGTONMy Lords, I am afraid that I could not answer that question without notice.