§ Lord MolloyMy 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 representations have been, or will be, made to President Reagan concerning the sale of US military material to Guatemala.
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Belstead)My Lords, Her Majesty's Government have, on a number of occasions, expressed their concern to the United States Government over the supply of military equipment to Guatemala.
§ Lord MolloyMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware that that is a most encouraging reply and I sincerely hope that Her Majesty's Government will pursue even more strongly the making of these representations?—because President Reagan's resumption of the sale of arms to Guatemala constitutes a threat to Belize, and has been condemned by many of his own Congressmen, by human rights observers and is giving cause for grave concern to many people in our own country.
§ Lord BelsteadMy Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Molloy, mentioned Belize. The United States Government are aware of our concern over the implications for the garrison in Belize, and Her Majesty's Government are keeping in close touch with the Americans over this issue.
§ Lord BishopstonMy Lords, the Minister's reply is most important and reassuring, in view of the particular responsibilities that we have in that area. Can he say anything about the general policy of liaison between the United Kingdom and the United States on matters of common concern, especially on this aspect?
§ Lord BelsteadMy Lords, Her Majesty's Government understand that United States Government policy on the general question of military supplies to Guatemala is still under consideration.
§ Lord GladwynMy Lords, in the event of an assault by Guatemala on Belize, could we be certain of United States support, as, in fact, we were when they supported us during the Falklands campaign?
§ Lord BelsteadMy Lords, concerning such an occurrence, the British Government have agreed to consult with the Governments of the Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago in order to consider what measures should be taken, in the event of an attack, or the threat of such an attack, on Belize, as the noble Lord mentioned.
§ Lord KennetMy Lords, have the Government asked the United States to link their arms' deliveries to Guatemala to an undertaking by Guatemala to abandon its wrongful claim for sovereignty over part of Belize?
§ Lord BelsteadMy Lords, I do not think that I can add to what I have already said to the noble Lord, Lord Molloy, which is that Her Majesty's Government remain in close touch with the Americans on this issue.
§ Lord Hatch of LusbyMy Lords, while agreeing with my noble friend Lord Molloy on the encouraging nature of that reply, can the noble Lord the Minister tell us whether the Government consider that there is any moral difference between the American Government supplying arms to Guatemala and the British Government allowing their banks to lend to the Argentine money which, as the Prime Minister admitted yesterday, can be used to purchase arms which could be a danger to British forces?
§ Lord BelsteadMy Lords, I think that moral questions in general and the noble Lord's question in particular fall well outside the scope of the present Question.
§ Lord MolloyMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware that in 1977 the United States struck Guatemala off its list for receiving armaments and that, therefore, they should do it again? Is he further aware that the American Anthropological Society, in a recent report to its own Government, reported on genocidal action in Guatemala? If such a regime should carry on like that with its own people, what price the people for whom we have responsibility in Belize? Therefore, will the Government please maintain the strongest possible pressure to stop American military aid going to Guatemala?
§ Lord BelsteadMy Lords, I do not think that I can add to what I have already said in reply to the noble Lord's questions. The only thing I would add on this final question is that we see the way forward as being by bilateral discussions between Guatemala and Belize, and we have endeavoured to use our good offices to this end. Indeed, we participated in the sense that we were present when such talks took place as recently as 24th January, and we also participated in the sense that we had bilateral discussions on that occasion with Guatemala.