HL Deb 14 December 1981 vol 426 cc5-6

2.48 p.m.

Lord Mottistonc

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 the Argentinians are still in occupation of British territory in Southern Thule and what action has been taken to expel them since a similar Question, put to the previous Government, was answered in this House on 10th May 1978 [Col. 976].

The Secretary of State for Foreign and Common wealth Affairs (Lord Carrington)

My Lords, I can confirm that there is still an Argentine scientific station on Southern Thule. The Government have repeatedly protested to the Argentine Government about this illegal presence. I can assure your Lordships that Britain's legal position is fully protected. This is one of the matters which my honourable friend the Minister of State intends to take up again at his discussions with the Argentine representatives on 18th and 19th December.

Lord Mottistone

My Lords, while I thank my noble friend very much for his full Answer, would he not agree that something rather more positive and robust, as was indicated some three and a half years ago, would be appropriate, particularly to allay the fears of the people in the Falkland Islands, in whose vicinity this particular place is?

Lord Carrington

My Lords, if my noble friend is suggesting the use of force, he will recollect that international law and the United Nations Charter require disputes to be settled by peaceful means. That is what we have been trying to do, but there should be no misunderstanding by the people of the Falkland Islands about what we think of this occupation, this presence, on Southern Thule or of our pledge to the people of the Falkland Islands.

Lord Morris

My Lords, I should like to ask my noble friend the Foreign Secretary whether the scientific personnel on the island of Southern Thule are properly equipped to fulfil their scientific role to a normal standard and, in addition, whether there are any military personnel or personnel in uniform on Southern Thule?

Lord Carrington

My Lords, according to the Argentines, there are 11 people on Southern Thule —seven naval scientists and four civilians, three of whom are radio technicians and one a meteorologist.

Lord Mottistone

My Lords, will my noble friend not agree that there is a need to reassure the people of the Falkland Islands, and could he perhaps give me some pointer on that?

Lord Carrington

My Lords, I do not know what my noble friend wants to reassure the Falkland Islands about. I thought I said in my answer to his original supplementary question that the Falkland Islanders should be in no doubt about the commitment of this country to them and the pledge that we have made to them on a number of occasions.