Palestinian Reform: London Meeting (Hansard, 16 January 2003)

§ The Minister for Trade (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean)
My Lords, the specific aim of the Prime Minister's meeting was to help the Palestinians make progress on reform, preparing their institutions for statehood. So Israeli settlements were not on the agenda. But they were raised. Her Majesty's Government have made it clear on many occasions that a settlement freeze is essential. Her Majesty's Government remain committed to working with the parties and international partners to revitalise the peace process.

§ Lord Gilmour of Craigmillar
My Lords, I congratulate the Government on the success of the 348 London conference despite Mr Sharon's attempt to wreck it. But surely it is, indeed, the settlements which are the key to this matter. Cannot the Prime Minister persuade President Bush that to go on allowing this continuous robbery with violence of Palestinian lands not only makes peace impossible but also makes the American Administration reviled and despised throughout the Middle East?

§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean
My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for his congratulations. We are pleased with the progress made at the London meeting despite the difficulties that we faced as regards being able to have everyone present that we would have wished. Of course, the issue of settlements is an enormously serious one. I hope that it will be addressed when the quartet route map is published. That process involves the United States as well. Delegates who discussed the matter are due to meet again in London at the beginning of February. We hope that we shall then have a date for the publication of the route map.

§ Lord Clarke of Hampstead
My Lords, did the conference agenda include a recognition that since 1967 successive Israeli governments have attempted to withdraw from areas of the West Bank as part of an overall peace agreement with the Arabs? Was the offer made by Ehud Barak some three years ago raised? I refer to the offer not only to concede 95 to 97 per cent of the Occupied Territories, as they are described, but also to help the Palestinian people and the authority achieve a sensible administration of their lands. As the record shows, sadly, it was rejected by the Palestinians at that time.

§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean
My Lords, that matter was not on the agenda, because the meeting was specifically about internal reform within the Palestinian Authority. The issue of settlements was raised by the Palestinians because they felt that the recent surge in settlements—there have been 34 in the past year or so—has seriously curtailed their ability to move towards a reform agenda as they would wish. Sadly, the offer put forward by former Prime Minister Ehud Barak, is no longer on the agenda.

§ Baroness Williams of Crosby
My Lords, I add the congratulations of these Benches on the advances made in moving towards a Palestinian constitution. That is welcome. Do the Government intend to develop an EU policy towards the Middle East crisis, especially in the light of the fact that an additional role for the EU might be very much welcomed at present? With regard to the settlements, must any solution be found on the basis of the evacuation of some, but the resettlement of Arab refugees involving the cooperation of Arab governments? Would the Minister agree that building a fence on the West Bank that now comprises some 7 per cent of West Bank territory will 349 create a new line between the two states, and raises the issue of compensation for Palestinians for land involved in the erection of the fence?

§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean
My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness for the points that she raised and for her congratulations. The conference had several outcomes. Among them were not only the commitment to draw up a constitution, but issues relating to commitments on violence and preparing for free and open elections, and other issues of enormous importance. It is important that the EU develops a policy, but it is also important that it does so in the context of the discussions taking place in the quartet. We believe that that offers the best way forward, and we hope that we shall have some dates for publication.
As for Arab refugees, that is one issue that will have to be addressed. On previous occasions, we have addressed the problems that have arisen as a result of the security fence and taking land for that purpose.

§ Lord Judd
My Lords—

§ Lord Hurd of Westwell
My Lords—

Noble Lords
Hurd.

§ The Lord Privy Seal (Lord Williams of Mostyn)
My Lords, we have plenty of time. Let us hear from the noble Lord, Lord Hurd, first.

§ Lord Hurd of Westwell
My Lords, despite what the Minister said about revitalising the peace process, is it not a grave mistake, in these particularly tense and dangerous weeks, for the United States effectively to put on hold any serious early initiative for an evenhanded peace settlement between Israel and the Palestinians? Is there not a real danger that, unless this policy is changed—as of course it could be, since there is still time—any other decisions that the Americans and ourselves take on the Middle East will be regarded as being taken not by campaigners against injustice and terror but by people who are essentially protecting the policies of Prime Minister Sharon?

§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean
My Lords, Her Majesty's Government believe that it is very important to revitalise the peace process, because of the repercussive effects that not doing so will have on a broader basis in the region and because it is right to do so. The United States is an active part of the quartet along with the UN, the EU and Russia, and has been playing its full part in that forum. I hope that the part that the United States has played will be seen to have been a vigorous one on publication of the route map.

§ Lord Judd
My Lords—

§ Lord Bramall
My Lords—

§ Lord Williams of Mostyn
My Lords, if we have two short questions and two short answers, we can do them both.

§ Lord Judd
My Lords, following the important initiative by the Government in their conference, do 350 they foresee any role for an international presence as a way forward both in the peace process and in bringing the Palestinian state fully into operation?

§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean
My Lords, any fresh thinking on the issue is to be welcomed. However, as I hope I made clear, our efforts are concentrated on the route map from the quartet, which we hope will be forthcoming early next month.

§ Lord Bramall
My Lords—

§ Lord Howell of Guildford
My Lords—

§ Lord Williams of Mostyn
My Lords, it is the turn of the noble and gallant Lord, Lord Bramall.

§ Lord Bramall
My Lords, will the Minister go further? Does she agree that any invasion of Iraq that has not meanwhile ensured a withdrawal of those illegal settlements, or at least meaningful negotiations towards it, risks incurring intense odium throughout the Middle East, which could invalidate any benefit that military action may bring?

§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean
My Lords, I believe that the two issues are entirely separate. However, there is no doubt that the settlements are a touchstone issue in the Middle East, with repercussions well beyond Israel and Palestine. It is an issue that inflames public feeling, not only in the countries of the region but elsewhere in the world. That is one of the reasons why my right honourable friend has put so much effort into trying to take forward the peace process—that and because my right honourable friend believes that it is right to do so.

§ Lord Howell of Guildford
My Lords, we, too, welcome the discussions on Palestine going forward, and hope that they are helpful. Does the Minister accept that there must be agreement with my noble friend Lord Gilmour when he points to the aggravating nature of the settlements—a policy by which the Israelis are doing themselves no good at all? Would she and other Ministers also spare a word of sympathy for the innocent Israeli women and children who are slaughtered by the continuing suicide bombs? Does she agree that the biggest victim of the suicide attacks is the cause of Palestine itself? Until they stop, the chances of really going forward are bound to be limited.

§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean
My Lords, I hope that I made it clear in my answer to the noble and gallant Lord, Lord Bramall, that the Government fully understand the aggravating nature of the settlement. Of course, the Government have never held back for a single moment on condemnation of terrorist activity that results in the death of innocent women and children.
It is important to take every opportunity open to us to take the process forward. We concentrated on one particular issue in the meeting earlier this week, but 351 opportunities that arise should be taken by all people of good will around the world. We hope to pursue that, not only through the means that my right honourable friend has already espoused but through the quartet meetings.