Middle East: Peace Efforts (Hansard, 13 January 1988)

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

§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Glenarthur)
My Lords, Her Majesty's Government will continue to work for an international conference as the framework for negotiations to bring about a peaceful settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

§ Lord Molloy
My Lords, I thank the Minister for that reply and I wish the Government well in all their endeavours. But the Government must be a bit more decisive. The situation now in the Middle East is highly explosive. We have seen the contemptible treatment of the deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, the organisation which created Israel. The Minister will, I think, agree that his treatment has been contemptible. We know of the appalling situation in that country. In view of all those things—accepting that the Government have done pretty well in trying to get an international conference—will the Minister make contact with the United States, the Soviet Union and leading members of the Security Council to ensure that what they wish to see achieved is achieved as quickly as possible and so prevent an even more explosive situation being created?

§ Lord Glenarthur
My Lords, I certainly agree with the noble Lord that the status quo is in nobody's interest and that deadlock only encourages extremists on both sides. I can assure the noble Lord that we shall continue in our efforts to convince the Americans and the Israelis that an international conference would be an opportunity and not a trap or threat.

§ Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos
My Lords, when the noble Lord refers to an international conference, do Her Majesty's Government have in mind a conference under the auspices of the United Nations? Would the objectives of such a conference be a negotiated settlement establishing the security of Israel and self-determination for the Palestinians? Will the Minister tell the House what the attitude of Her Majesty's Government is towards the deportation from the occupied territories of certain Palestinians?

§ Lord Glenarthur
My Lords, the issues, as the noble Lord will appreciate, are complex. They touch on the substance of the dispute itself. For the parties to work out mutually acceptable arrangements is the best way to take forward the auspices to which the noble Lord referred. It would be wrong to seek to dictate terms from the outside. The two basic principles for settlement are the right of Israel and other states in the area to a secure existence and the Palestinian right to self-determination. Deportation is a matter of great concern and we deplore it. It is contrary to international law and will only create new martyrs to the Palestinian cause and fuel resentment. It was unanimously condemned by the United Nations Security Council in Resolution 607.

§ Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos
My Lords, the noble Lord has gone a good deal of the way with me, but he has left the conference a bit in the air. Would he agree that the best course would be to seek to get the United Nations to convene such a conference? Are Her Majesty's Government prepared to take that initiative.

§ Lord Glenarthur
My Lords, I cannot go that far, but I can say that because the issues are so complex and touch on so much of importance in that part of the world it is important that the parties themselves work out mutually acceptable arrangements. An arrangement under the auspices of the United Nations may be the best way in the end, but at the moment I can go no further on that.

§ Lord Mellish
My Lords, does the Minister not agree that the conflict between Iran and Iraq is really a test of the United Nations? It is a pointer as to whether the United Nations has any strength or validity at all. It has passed the appropriate resolution. But what has happened since then? Is Russia doing anything about trying to bring Iraq or Iran to heel? What is happening?

§ Lord Glenarthur
My Lords, we move from the Arab-Israeli conflict to that involving Iran and Iraq. There our policy remains unchanged. We are strictly impartial and we have urged both sides to comply at once with Security Council Resolution 598.

§ Lord Mayhew
My Lords, does the Minister agree that it would not be appropriate for Mr. Shamir to visit this country?

§ Lord Glenarthur
My Lords, that is a matter to be considered should an approach be made for him to do so.

§ Lord Bottomley
My Lords, will the Minister say whether the Prime Minister has given consideration to inviting the Prime Minister of Israel to come to London so that they can discuss this matter face to face and, one hopes, make some progress?

§ Lord Glenarthur
My Lords, I am not aware of any such approach, or that my right honourable friend has made any comment upon it.

§ Lord Gladwyn
My Lords, will the Government say what in their view is the ideal solution to this terrible problem? Do they think it would be sufficient if there was just autonomy, that is to say, practical independence for the West Bank and for Gaza in some kind of relationship with Israel, or would they contemplate the formation eventually of some Israel/Arab state with joint responsibilities and joint rights for both races within the boundaries of the old Palestinian mandate?

§ Lord Glenarthur
My Lords, the purpose of the kind of international conference we hope will eventually take place would be to resolve precisely those problems.

§ Lord Molloy
My Lords, if, as the Minister has quite correctly said, the same rights apply to the Arabs in the occupied territories as to the Israelis, as created by the United Nations, does it not therefore follow that at some time the Israelis must withdraw from the lands they stole and give them back to those from whom they took them? Before that happens we must concentrate, would not the Minister agree, on trying to get the international conference that he has called for? Will the Government now appeal to the great powers on this earth as well as to Israel and Arab lands to get together before something really dreadful happens which could possibly engulf that entire area in a fearful war?

§ Lord Glenarthur
My Lords, the Government will continue to urge the Israelis to withdraw from territories occupied in 1967 in accordance with Security Council Resolution 242. Meanwhile the Government will urge them to fulfil their obligations as an occupying power. The United Kingdom and the Twelve have come out firmly in favour of an international conference. The United States has not; that is why we shall continue our efforts to convince the Americans and the Israelis, as I said earlier.