HC Deb 20 April 1988 vol 131 c460W
Mr. Latham

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what report he has received from Her Majesty's ambassador in Moscow regarding the recent meeting between Mr. Gorbachev and Mr. Yasser Arafat; and whether the ambassador has been able to substantiate, through contact with the Soviet Foreign Ministry, the report inTass that Mr. Gorbachev asked the Palestine Liberation Organisation to recognise the state of Israel.

Mr. Mellor

It is not clear whether the welcome remarks which Mr. Gorbachev is reported as having made concerning recognition of the state of Israel were, in fact, directed at the Palestine Liberation Organisation.