§ 2.55 p.m.
§ Lord MolloyMy 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 to what extent United Nations Security Council Resolutions 242 and 425 have been implemented.
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Young)My Lords, Egypt has signed a peace treaty with Israel. Efforts to agree arrangements for wider peace negotiations are continuing with our full support. A United Nations peacekeeping force has been deployed in Southern Lebanon since 1978 but has been unable to carry out its full mandate.
§ Lord MolloyMy Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baroness for that reply. Does she not agree that, despite the reply she has given, in reality very little has been achieved? Is she aware that recently there have been words of encouragement from the Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Shimon Peres, when he indicated that Resolution 242 could be a basis in regard particularly to the occupied territories, and that in return Mr Arafat has said that such an attitude would help him to advise that full recognition of Israel should be made? My final point is this. Is the noble Baroness aware that, of the Western powers, Britain is probably thought of more highly in the Middle East than any other and that we have a very useful role to play so as to take full advantage of both those statements?
§ Baroness YoungMy Lords, what I would like to say on the visit of the Israeli Prime Minister is that useful and constructive discussions were held. We agreed on the need for an early negotiation and settlement of the Arab-Israel dispute and we welcomed the positive development of common ground between Mr Peres and King Hussein on negotiations within an international framework. We have also been in touch with Ambassador Murphy, who saw both King 672 Hussein and Mr Peres in London last week, and we support his search for agreement on arrangements for peace negotiations.
§ Lord MolloyMy Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baroness for that reply. Is it not therefore logical to seat all these people on one side to talk about the developments and that there should now be some indication made to Arab representatives for them to have an opportunity to make their submissions to this country, for which, as I have said, both sides in this terrible dispute still have high regard?
§ Baroness YoungMy Lords, I hope I made plain in my original Answer to the noble Lord's Question that King Hussein paid a private visit to London. He met with my right honourable friend the Prime Minister on 16th January. We support his efforts in the peace negotiations.