§ Sir Dudley Smithasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those discussions he or his ministerial colleagues have had since October 1983 with leading members of the Contact Group concerned with Namibia's future about the question of linking withdrawal of Cuban forces from Angola to secure progress towards Namibia's independence.
§ Mr. RifkindWe keep in regular touch with our partners at ministerial and official level, both here and abroad, about all matters relating to a Namibia settlement. Most recently I met the United States Assistant Secretary of State, Dr. Crocker, on 6 February.
§ Sir Dudley Smithasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will seek an early meeting with the Secretary General of the United Nations to discuss international financial support for all political parties within Namibia which are representative of the people of that territory;
(2) whether it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government to ensure that international financial support is provided to all political parties within Namibia that are representative of the people of that territory and which endeavour peacefully to persuade the population to support them.
§ Mr. RifkindThe representative nature of Namibia's political parties can be determined only in free and fair elections as provided for by the United Nations plan. Our impartiality as a Contact Group member would be endangered if we were to provide, or to encourage the provision of, funds for any Namibian political parties for political purposes.