Occupied Territories: Peace Progress (Hansard, 25 April 1994)

§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey)
My Lords, yes. We fully support the Israel/PLO Declaration of Principles, which has as its aim the implementation of Security Council Resolutions Nos. 242 and 338. These resolutions call for the withdrawal of Israeli armed forces from territories occupied in 1967.

§ Lord Molloy
My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for the encouraging Answer as regards the maintenance of the Government's policy. Does she agree that, despite the activities of extremists on both sides, the Prime Minister of Israel and his Foreign 376 Secretary and Mr. Yasser Arafat and the PLO executive are making advances towards a real peace? Will Britain's considered support for the PLO and the Israeli Government continue? Will the Minister make our voice heard at the United Nations in pursuing our Government's policy to help bring peace to that area?

§ Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
My Lords, I hope that, as regards the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and Jericho, agreement will be concluded as soon as possible. The noble Lord, Lord Molloy, will know that Mr. Arafat and Shimon Peres met last week in Bucharest and that discussions went well. There are welcome Israeli indications that withdrawal can be completed quickly. If requested, Britain is ready to play its part in an international presence in the occupied territories. We will continue to make our voice heard at the UN and in all other fora in efforts to bring peace to that troubled land.

§ Lord Haskel
My Lords, does the Minister agree that the Israeli defence forces are in the occupied territories for the legitimate purpose of defending Israel's frontiers and that the forces will be withdrawn when the peace negotiations are concluded?

§ Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
My Lords, I sincerely hope that that will be so. We are glad too that negotiations between Israel and Syria, Lebanon and Jordan are expected soon to resume in Washington. That might make it possible for those forces to withdraw from the borders all the sooner.

§ Baroness Blackstone
My Lords, as regards Jewish settlements in the occupied territories, what representations have been made to Mr. Warren Christopher, the US Secretary of State, who is about to visit the Middle East? Does the Minister agree that, in the light of Mr. Rabin's remarks about the matter last week and in the interests of peace in the long term, now would be an appropriate time to put some pressure on the Israeli Government to remove these settlements?

§ Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
My Lords, we welcome very much the statement of Prime Minister Rabin, which was made on 13th April, that for peace and security his government are prepared to take down some settlements. The Israeli Government have curbed settlement activity in the West Bank and Gaza, which is welcome although it falls short of a total ban. My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary has talked to Mr. Christopher. I have no doubt that our view, which has been clearly expressed in your Lordships' House, has been part of that discussion.

§ Lord Beloff
My Lords, does my noble friend agree that the word "pressure" is singularly ill-chosen at a moment of very delicate negotiation? The important thing is encouragement and not pressure.

§ Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
My Lords, I will always be the first to encourage progress. I believe that progress is being made and that the Israeli Government are seeking to make progress. But I believe, as my noble 377 friend said, that all the encouragement that your Lordships' House can give them to make progress will be very welcome and better than pressure.

§ Lord Mayhew
My Lords, does the noble Baroness agree that if the Israelis were to withdraw from Gaza and Jericho, as they have promised, that would give a major boost to the whole peace process and provide support to the moderates on both sides? In her encouraging replies, if I understood her correctly, the noble Baroness referred to the offer to send British troops as peacekeepers to the West Bank. Is that what she meant? If so, are other countries making the same offer?

§ Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
My Lords, perhaps I may say in response to the last remarks of the noble Lord, Lord Mayhew, that the words I used—I wrote them down most carefully before coming to the Chamber —were that Britain is ready to play its part in an international presence in the occupied territories, if requested. We have indeed offered to play our part with observers. But the present arrangement is that 90 Norwegians, 35 Danes and 35 Italians will be carrying out the role of international observers. We hope very much that the steps taken by Israel and the PLO will, as I say, be followed through in other negotiations which should commence in about mid-May.

§ Baroness Miller of Hendon
My Lords, will my noble friend confirm that under the Declaration of Principles, signed by the PLO and the Israelis, it was agreed that the question of the Israeli settlements should he deliberately deferred until the permanent negotiations, which are to take place in approximately two years' time? Therefore, would it not be much more sensible for Her Majesty's Government not to be precipitate in the language used?

§ Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
My Lords, we try very hard to use both consistent language and language which will encourage the progress to which I referred as having been made by the Israeli Government in curbing settlement activity. But we are aware that there are enormous tensions in the area. Therefore, further encouragement is needed. I put that as tactfully as I can, but I must say to my noble friend that there is a long way to go before all the obstacles to peace have been removed.

§ Lord Cocks of Hartcliffe
My Lords, will the Minister join with me in welcoming the slightly more open-minded attitude of my noble friend Lord Molloy? Does she agree that while people may have taken a long-term interest in this problem, it is extremely important that nothing is said outside the area which might in any way prejudice negotiations?

§ Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
My Lords, I always welcome open minds wherever I can find them. I encourage people to be open minded. However, I sympathise with what the noble Lord, Lord Cocks, said because I believe that the discussions have reached an extremely sensitive point. We can only hope that everyone will be as thoughtful about the matter as the noble Lord, Lord Cocks, is trying to be.

§ Lord Molloy
My Lords, we must bear in mind that there has been occupation of those territories for 27 years and that youths aged between 20 and 27 might become rather impatient. Will the noble Baroness consider also another aspect; namely, that Arab Christians in those territories have to obtain a special permit to visit Jerusalem? Will those permits be more forthcoming in future? Will there be any relaxation of the attitude towards Christians in that part of the world?

§ Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
My Lords, we recognise well the sensitivities of those who wish to visit Jerusalem, whatever their age. We know that those wishing to visit sometimes find it almost impossible to do so. I hope that that will soon become much easier. We should aim for religious freedom within the overall peace settlement for this troubled part of the world.

§ Lord Annan
My Lords, does the noble Baroness agree that it would not be wise to be precipitate in offering to send our own troops to Israel and to the West Bank? Very unfairly, we incurred much odium from both sides during the termination of the mandate. However unfair that may have been, many of us might think it unwise to expose our forces to the difficult situation that would arise there were they sent.

§ Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
My Lords, I very much sympathise with the words of the noble Lord. I believe that we can give much encouragement. We have already many peacekeeping tasks in different parts of the world which we are carrying out. I hope that our encouragement means that others will contribute towards peacekeeping in greater numbers than they are doing at present.