§ Lord Hatch of LusbyMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made any representations to President Belaunde Terry of Peru regarding his statement on the sinking of the cruiser "General Belgrano"; and, if so, what reply they have received.
§ Lord Hatch of LusbyMy Lords, has the noble Lord had his attention drawn to the interview given by the President of Peru in which he stated that he, in conjunction with the then Secretary of State of the United States, had devised a plan by which Australian, Canadian and Venezuelan troops would supervise the withdrawal of the Argentinian forces from the Falklands and that this had been agreed by the Foreign Minister of the Argentine, and that just at the moment when the junta was meeting to consider it the news came of the sinking of the "Belgrano"? Is he aware that in that interview the President of Peru stated that he realised that that action had destroyed any chance of his plan coming to fruition?
§ Lord BelsteadMy Lords, the Government have seen a brief reference in the British press to the alleged statement which the noble Lord has mentioned. But I understand from the embassy in Peru and from the British interests section of the Swiss Embassy in Argentina that no reports of such a statement have appeared in the press there, and I therefore cannot comment on a text I have not seen.
§ Lord Hatch of LusbyMy Lords, in that situation, may I ask the noble Lord whether he will pursue his inquiries so that he can report to this House whether there is in fact any truth in the statement which the President of Peru is alleged to have made?
§ Lord BelsteadMy Lords, the noble Lord's original Question was whether the Government would make representations. We certainly could not base representations on a press report. Therefore, I think I have reported to your Lordships' House as much as I know.