The Gulf (Hansard, 13 February 1991)

§ 17. Mr. Roy Hughes
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to pay an early visit to the Gulf to discuss the crisis with Governments of Gulf states.

§ 29. Mr Hind
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to visit Saudi Arabia to discuss the Gulf war with the Emir of Kuwait; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Hurd
I visited Egypt and Saudi Arabia last week, and also called on the Emir of Kuwait in Ta'if. I was greatly encouraged by the resolve and determination of these important members of the coalition.

§ 22. Mr. Andrew Welsh
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Arab League states about the further exploration of diplomatic solutions to the Gulf crisis.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
Discussions with members of the union of Maghreb nations and of the Arab League514W continue. We all agree on the need to end the conflict as early as possible on the basis of the relevant Security Council resolutions. But a diplomatic solution can be possible only once Saddam Hussein is willing to comply with the Security Council resolutions.

§ 23. Mr. Pawsey
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made with our European partners on burden-sharing in connection with the United Kingdom costs of the war in the Gulf.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
We are in touch with a number of countries, including European partners, who may be willing to contribute to our costs. Germany has agreed to provide a cash sum of £275 million. This is in addition to practical assistance which the Germans and other partners have already made available in support of British deployments to the Gulf.

§ 24. Mr. Dalyell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response he has made to peace proposals from Iran.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
The Iranian Government are reported to have put forward to Iraq certain suggestions for achieving a peaceful solution to the current crisis. The details have not been disclosed, but we would support any proposal based on a complete Iraqi withdrawal from Kuwait and full compliance with the relevant Security Council resolutions.

§ 26. Mr. Winnick
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the latest Gulf position.

§ 30. Mr. Nellist
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the latest developments in the Gulf.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
The allied coalition remains united and steadfast in its determination to prosecute the military campaign until we know that all Iraqi forces are out of Kuwait. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary found complete agreement on this during his recent visit to Egypt and Saudi Arabia. We do not want the conflict to continue a day longer than necessary. But even as recently as 48 hours ago Baghdad radio announced thatIraq will never cease fighting until total victory is achieved.
In the light of this sustained Iraqi belligerence it would be irresponsible for the Governments of the allied coalition to agree to a ceasefire, or a pause in hostilities, while our troops are engaged and exposed. None the less, we continue to hope that the Iraqi leadership will see sense and, as a first step, make an unequivocal commitment to withdraw from Kuwait accompanied by concrete steps towards full compliance with UN Security Council resolutions.

§ 28. Mr. Patrick Thompson
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy on the creation of a stable framework for lasting peace and security in the Gulf.

§ 31. Sir Trevor Skeet
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy on the creation of a stable security framework in the Gulf.
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§ 36. Sir Marcus Fox
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the consideration being given to peace and security in the middle east after the present hostilities.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
It must be for the Gulf states and others in the region to decide future arrangements for peace and security once hostilities have ended. We are ready to play our part, if asked to do so, in support of those arrangements.

§ 32. Mr. Brandon-Bravo
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made with other countries on burden sharing with United Kingdom costs of the conflict in the Gulf.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
We continue to have discussions with a number of countries which may be willing to contribute to our costs. Generous cash contributions have been pledged by Kuwait, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, Japan, and Hong Kong totalling £1.2 billion.

§ 33. Mr. Dykes
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the non-military assistance being provided by European and other countries in respect of the allied efforts in the present Gulf conflict.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
Considerable non-military assistance is being provided by European and other countries to the multinational force in the Gulf, mainly in the form of financial backing or medical and other logistical support. We are still in discussion with a number of countries which have not contributed directly to the military effort, but which may be willing to help defray our costs.