§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will press for the Secretary General of the Commonwealth to oversee the forthcoming general election in Grenada; and if Her Majesty's Government will offer assistance to ensure that all political parties in Grenada are able to take part in these elections.
§ Mr. WhitneyCommonwealth countries have said that they are ready to give sympathetic consideration to requests for assistance from the interim administration on Grenada. Arrangements for elections may be one area in which the Commonwealth could help. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said in the House on 1 December—[Vol. 49, c. 998]—that Britain could help in this way if we were asked. We have as yet received no such request, and it is not for us to press the Commonwealth Secretary General.
The chairman of the advisory council has said that there will be no ban on any party in the elections on Grenada.
§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British aeroplanes have used the airport in Grenada since the United States invasion; and what information he has as to when the airport will be open for civilian traffic.
§ Mr. WhitneyNo aircraft registered in the United Kingdom has used the existing—Pearls—airport since 25 October. One British-registered aircraft, a C130 transport of the Royal Air Force, used the runway of the airport under construction at Point Salines to transport mainly British and United Nations representatives between Barbados and Grenada. Pearls airport is open for civilian traffic. The Grenadian interim Administration have announced that the Point Salines airport will be completed, but I have as yet no clear indication when it might open.
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§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has been informed about the date when United States military personnel will leave Grenada.
§ Mr. WhitneyThe United States has announced that the last United States combat troops left Grenada on 12 December. Remaining United States military personnel number about 300, of whom 150 are military policemen forming an integral part of the Caribbean peacekeeping force, and the remainder medical and other support personnel.