HC Deb 30 January 1991 vol 184 cc524-5W
Mr. Sillars

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when was the last occasion that(a) the United Nations Security Council and (b) the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council discussed the Israeli-Palestinian issue in the context of a possible peace initiative.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

The Arab/Israel dispute has frequently been on the agenda of the Security Council during the last three months. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs discussed the issue with his colleagues from the other permanent member states in New York on 28 September 1990.

Mr. Sillars

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many United Nations Security Council resolutions relevant to the Israeli-Palestinian issue have been subject to a veto over the past five years; and if he will show the text of each such resolution and the countries which exercised the veto.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

Seven draft Security Council resolutions on the Palestinian problem and the occupied territories have been vetoed since the beginning of 1986. All were vetoed by the United States alone. I am placing copies of the texts in the Library of the House. The three most recent resolutions, 672, 673 and 681, were unanimously adopted by the Council.

Mr. Sillars

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the latest position with regard to the terms of United Nations Security Council resolution 673.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

The focus of Security Council resolution 673 was the report on the situation in the occupied territories requested by the Council from the UN Secretary-General in resolution 672. The Secretary-General delivered this on 1 November 1990. Security Council resolution 681 asked him to develop some of his ideas. He is now doing this.