HL Deb 28 October 1985 vol 467 cc1386-8

3 p.m.

Lord Molloy

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will seek to establish fresh negotiations in an endeavour to bring peace in the Middle East.

Baroness Young

My Lords, we shall continue to encourage realistic moves towards negotiated settlement of the conflicts in the Middle East. But the prime responsibility must remain with the parties directly involved. We fully support King Hussein's courageous initiative.

Lord Molloy

My Lords, I am most grateful to the noble Baroness for that very encouraging reply. I ask her to bear in mind that although there are grave difficulties in the Middle East, it was by the British Government, first through the noble Lord, Lord Carrington, and then through Sir Geoffrey Howe, that real endeavours were made to stop the feuding and fighting and bring the two parties together. The last time it was a fiasco arising from misunderstandings which will have to be explained. Can the noble Baroness give an assurance that the endeavours undertaken, first, by the noble Lord, Lord Carrington, and then, a year or two ago, by Sir Geoffrey Howe when he moved to the Foreign Office, will be continued? In that case I am sure that all sensible people will be behind them in the attempt to achieve peace in the Middle East.

Baroness Young

My Lords, I can confirm to the noble Lord that we shall continue to encourage and support all constructive moves by the parties concerned towards a negotiated solution which provides for Israel's secure existence and right to exist within secure and recognised borders as well as the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.

Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos

My Lords, can the noble Baroness say whether Her Majesty's Government remain committed to the participation of the PLO in negotiations as recommended in the Venice Declaration? Do the Government also support the participation of the Soviet Union in the negotiations?

Baroness Young

My Lords, I should like to make it clear that we found the breakdown of the proposed negotiations in early October, which I explained in a Statement to your Lordships, a great disappointment. We must not allow this to be a fatal setback, and we need to be forward looking. We shall of course consider how we might best proceed because the fact is that an urgent need for a peaceful settlement remains.

Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos

My Lords, with great respect, the noble Baroness has unwittingly failed to answer my question. Do the Government still adhere to the principles of the Venice Declaration, and do they support the participation of the Soviet Union in any negotiations on this matter?

Baroness Young

Yes, my Lords, we still stand by the principles of the Venice Declaration.

Lord Bottomley

My Lords, is the noble Baroness aware that her right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs said that the statement made by the Israeli Prime Minister on 10th June was most helpful in trying to solve the Middle East problem? The Israeli Prime Minister also said that the initiative of King Hussein could do more harm than good. In this respect he was quite right. Does the Minister not agree that the Government should encourage the parties directly concerned to get together to discuss the problem?

Baroness Young

My Lords, I cannot add anything further to what I have already said in answer to this question concerning our belief in the importance of supporting all constructive moves to find a settlement of this extremely difficult situation. We keep in close touch with King Hussein, and I believe that the Jordanians were as disappointed as we were at the postponement of the meeting with the joint delegation of Jordanians and members of the PLO and the fact that it did not take place.

Lord Molloy

My Lords, will the noble Baroness not agree that what she says shows that it was very worthwhile in attempting to bring both sides together and that if these endeavours are not undertaken there is the possibility of hundreds more lives being lost, the situation becoming more aggravated and the chance of peace lost? I am sure that every civilised person in the House and outside will agree with the noble Baroness that Great Britain should continue with its endeavours that it started a few years ago to bring an honest and just peace to the Middle East.

Baroness Young

Yes, my Lords.