HL Deb 10 July 1980 vol 411 cc1285-7

3.5 p.m.

Lord CHELWOOD

My 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 they will give an assurance that the Madrid Conference in the autumn to review the Helsinki Final Act will discuss fully those clauses renouncing the use of force against any state, and those promising respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and the self-determination of peoples; and that disarmament (apart from confidence-building measures) will continue to be discussed mainly in the proper forum.

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, it is our firm intention that the Madrid meeting should review comprehensively the extent to which all principles and provisions of the Helsinki Final Act, including particularly those to which the noble Lord refers, have been implemented or disregarded. Although disarmament will doubtless be raised, it remains our view that it is most appropriately discussed in other fora.

Lord CHELWOOD

My Lords, I am most grateful for that reply. Is my noble friend aware that his reply will greatly reassure many people who are highly critical of the French President's suggestion that disarmament should feature very prominently at the Madrid Conference, specifically called to review the working of the Helsinki Final Act?

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, I am glad that my Answer reassured my noble friend. Certainly the most important aspect of the Madrid review conference will be to consider the implementation up to now of the Helsinki Final Act.

Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS

My Lords, will the British delegation be led by a Minister or by an ambassador? Secondly, will there be the most effective co-ordination among the western countries represented there covering their attitudes and proposals in regard to the preparation of the agenda and agreement to the procedures of the conference, and the proceedings of the committees and the plenary conference itself? Also, in particular, in view of our experience at the Belgrade meeting in 1978, will there be the closest co- ordination on this occasion with the United States delegation?

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, final decisions in respect of the leadership of the British delegation to that conference have not yet been taken, but I can assure the noble Lord that British participation will be at the highest appropriate level. I can also assure the noble Lord that we shall be discussing these matters very closely with the western delegations.

Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS

My Lords, including in particular that of the United States of America?

Lord TREFGARNE

Certainly, my Lords, including the delegation of the United States.

Lord JANNER

My Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for the statement he has made today and the manner in which he and his colleagues have acted in respect of these particular problems, may I ask him if he will keep in mind, first, the kind of action that is being taken at present by the USSR in arresting some 300 people before the Olympic Games and in driving out of the city some 60 other people? Secondly, will he also keep in mind that now an attempt is being made to prevent Jewish students from entering universities, and in fact in regard to the Moscow University itself practically no Jewish mathematics students are allowed to go into the university in order to study mathematics in spite of the remarkable success of those who have previously been there?

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, I agree readily that the Soviet implementation of their Helsinki undertakings is, to say the least, highly unsatisfactory. On 2nd July my honourable friend Mr. Blaker made a detailed report to the other place on the recent implementation of the Helsinki Final Act, or failure to implement it, and, with your Lordships' permission, I will arrange for that report to be circulated in our Official Report.

Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS

My Lords, I crave your Lordships' indulgence for speaking again but this is an extremely important matter. Can we take it that there has been an independent review of the performance of the Helsinki agreement, including the vital point made by my noble friend, similar to the review conducted with the support of, but not controlled by, the Foreign Office two years ago, before the Belgrade meeting?

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, during the period of this Administration, and I think also of the previous one, the Government have made reports to Parliament at six-monthly intervals and that is the document to which I referred just now.

Following is the report above referred to by Lord Trefgarne: