HC Deb 09 November 1982 vol 31 cc134-5W
Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the United Kingdom as a member of the Western contact group will seek the inclusion of the internal Namibian political parties in the current negotiations on the future of Namibia.

Mr. Onslow

The Five will continue to take account of the concerns of the internal parties in Namibia as the negotiations for a settlement proceed.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government that the so-called Namibian linkage issue can be resolved by a troop-for-troop reduction of forces.

Mr. Onslow

The question raised by my hon. Friend is at present a subject of discussion between the United States Government and the Governments directly concerned. It would not be helpful for me to comment on those negotiations.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his estimate of the numbers of South African controlled forces at present in Namibia.

Mr. Onslow

Informed estimates put the number of South African controlled troops in Namibia at 25,000 to 30,000, but no precise figures are available to us.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the planned manpower of the United Nations transition assistance group forces, civilian and military, on the northern Namibian border; and whether he considers such a strength adequate to maintain a future ceasefire in the light of the number of Cuban and South African forces.

Mr. Onslow

The parties involved have agreed that the United Nations transition assistance group should contain a military component of up to 7,500, plus several hundred civilians. Its deployment is a matter for the United Nations Secretary General's special representative. The parties involved accept that the planned UNTAG strength will be adequate for the tasks assigned to it.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the estimated troop strengths on either side of the Angola-Namibia frontier of the following nationalities and forces: Angolan, UNITA, East German, Cuban, Russian, SWAPO, South African and ethnic Namibian.

Mr. Onslow

We do not have details of the numbers and deployment of forces in the area mentioned by my hon. Friend.