§ 2.42 p.m.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will give an assurance that measures taken by the United Kingdom, our NATO allies and other like-minded countries to bring home to the Soviet Union the seriousness of the invasion of Afghanistan, will not be indiscriminately applied to the Soviet satellite countries in Eastern Europe.
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN and COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS (Lord Carrington)Yes, my Lords; that is our present policy in consultation with our NATO allies and with the Nine.
Lord CHELWOODMy Lords, I am grateful for that encouraging reply. Does it mean not only that the Kremlin's sins will not automatically be visited on the formerly independent countries of Eastern and Central Europe, but that among them too there is a clear case for discrimination based perhaps on the degree of support they give to the Soviet Union and the extent to which they comply with their promises under the Helsinki Final Act; and should not such a policy be reflected in the provision of credits, for instance to Poland, whose Government measures are very well known in both respects and whose shortage of hard currency is very severe indeed?
§ Lord CARRINGTONYes, my Lords; we have noted differences of emphasis in the support of the Eastern European 673 countries for the Soviet Union's action in Afghanistan, and we shall reflect that in our policy towards them.