§ 39. Mr. BeithTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations were made by the United Kingdom and by the European Community about the violent repression of demonstrations in Romania.
§ Mr. WaldegraveWe protested formally to the Romanian authorities in London and Bucharest on 15 June about President Iliescu's use of vigilantes to crush the opposition on 14–15 June. We invoked the Helsinki agreement on 21 June to request information on three arrested student leaders. In addition, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and his EC colleagues strongly condemned the violence in a statement on 18 June.
§ Mr. WareingTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to visit Romania to discuss the aftermath of the recent elections; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WaldegraveNeither I nor my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs plan to visit Romania at present. We condemn President Iliescu's use of miners as vigilantes to attack the opposition on 14–15 June, and urge the Romanian Government to take decisive steps to restore progress towards democracy.