§ Mrs. ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will be willing to offer British personnel for an international control mission to monitor a Kampuchean settlement.
§ Mr. EggarIt is too soon to say what sort of international presence may be required in the event of a Cambodian settlement, and, hence, the nature of a possible British contribution.
§ Mrs. ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he has expressed concern to Prince Sihanouk over the prince's proposal to bring Khmer Rouge troops back into Kampuchea in the context of a settlement;
(2) with which members of the Khmer Rouge leadership Her Majesty's Government are prepared to deal; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. EggarWe have no dealings with the Khmer Rouge leadership. Prince Sihanouk has proposed the inclusion of the Khmer Rouge, but excluding Pol Pot, in an interim Government. If some Khmer Rouge involvement proved acceptable to the Cambodian factions, we would not oppose it, though it is clear that neither Pol Pot himself nor his cronies have any place in a peaceful settlement.
§ Mrs. ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to offer full support for Prince Sihanouk should the prince seek to negotiate with Premier Hun Sen on the basis of backing from the West.
§ Mr. EggarWe have made it clear on many occasions that we fully support Prince Sihanouk's efforts to bring about a peaceful and durable settlement in Cambodia.
§ Mrs. ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise the subject of Kampuchea with Mr. Gorbachev and Mr. Deng Xiao Ping in advance of their Sino-Soviet summit in May emphasising Her Majesty's Government's concern over the threat to a peaceful settlement posed by the Khmer Rouge.
§ Mr. EggarCambodia was one of many issues touched on during Mr. Gorbachev's visit to Britain on 5–7 April. We keep in close touch with the Soviet and Chinese Governments on this subject.
§ Mrs. ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will propose an amendment to the United Nations' resolution on Kampuchea naming the leadership of the Khmer Rouge as being unfit ever to govern Kampuchea again.
§ Mr. EggarThe terms of any future United Nations resolution on Cambodia will depend on developments. I hope that, by the next session of the General Assembly, Vietnam will have withdrawn completely from its illegal occupation, as called for in successive General Assembly resolutions.
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§ Mrs. ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the European Council of Ministers last discussed the future of Kampuchea; what issues were raised; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. EggarCambodia is regularly discussed in the context of political co-operation amongst the Twelve. The Twelve support efforts to restore an independent, democratic, neutral and non-aligned Cambodia, and call for early and unconditional Vietnamese withdrawal.
§ Mrs. ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support the United Kingdom has given to the Kampuchea peace talks; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. EggarWe have supported the efforts of Prince Sihanouk and the ASEAN, as well as the two Jakarta informal meetings and talks between the factions in France and elsewhere. We have raised the issue among the five permanent members of the Security Council. With our EC partners we have issued several statements.
§ Mrs. ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. King),Official Report, 8 March, column 877, that he has placed the matter of Kampuchea on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council, if he will now take the issue forward as a matter of urgency.
§ Mr. EggarAs my right hon. and learned Friend stated in his reply, the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council will carry forward discussion of Cambodia when they feel it is appropriate.
§ Mrs. ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Thai Government about the future of Khmer Rouge soldiers based in camps on the Thai/Kampuchea border and how the Thais propose to disarm and neutralise the threat of the Khmer Rouge army to peace and development in both Kampuchea and Thailand.
§ Mr. EggarWe regularly discuss the Cambodian problem with Thailand (and other members of the Association of South East Asian Nations). We believe that the only framework for removing any threat from Khmer Rouge forces is a peaceful political settlement.
§ Mrs. ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will initiate proposals at the United Nations for the Kampuchean refugees in camps in Thailand to be given refugee status and the protection and rights afforded to refugees.
§ Mr. EggarThese Cambodians are in Thailand as a result of Vietnam's occupation of their country. We hope that they will soon be able to return in safety. The question of refugee status for any individual in Thailand is a matter for the Thai authorities.
§ Mrs. ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will initiate proposals to extend United Nation's protection in the Kampuchean refugee camps in Thailand to ensure that those wishing to leave camps controlled by the Khmer Rouge may do so safely.
§ Mr. EggarWe have taken a leading role with the Thai Government and the relevant United Nations agencies in418W securing proper access by United Nations personnel to Khmer Rouge-controlled camps. The Thai Government do not allow displaced persons in any of the Cambodian camps to leave them freely.
§ Mrs. ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will hold talks with representatives of the People's Republic of Kampuchea;
(2) if, following the recent establishment by the Government of Thailand and the Government of Kampuchea of a joint committee to oversee economic co-operation, he will send a delegation to Kampuchea to discuss future aid, trade and commercial links between the United Kingdom and Kampuchea.
§ Mr. EggarWe have no plans at present to alter our policy towards the so-called People's Republic of Kampuchea.
§ Mrs. ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, following Prince Sihanouk's recent statement that the coalition Government of democratic Kampuchea is dominated by the Khmer Rouge, he will seek to have CGDK removed from the United Nations where they occupy a seat.
§ Mr. EggarI refer the hon. Lady to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State to the hon. Member for Kirkcaldy (Dr. Moonie) on 5 December 1988 at column40.