§ 20. Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the discussions in New York between the five Foreign Ministers, South-West Africa People's Organisation and the Foreign Minister of South Africa on outstanding problems concerning the termination of the illegal occupation of Namibia by South Africa.
§ 23. Mr. Temple-Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made in connection with the New York talks concerning a Namibian settlement.
§ Mr. Fordasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who was present at the recent talks concerning Namibia; and if he will make a statement upon the outcome.
§ Mr. Eldon Griffithsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will make a statement on the recent meeting of Western Foreign Ministers with the Foreign Minister of South Africa on the subject of South-West Africa;
(2) what was the number of South African troops he informed the South African Foreign Minister would be acceptable to Her Majesty's Government and the other four Governments of the Western Group of Five for the purpose of maintaining the security of South-West Africa during the period preceding and during the proposed General Election;
(3) what proportion of the South African troops he informed the South African Foreign Minister are acceptable to Her Majesty's Government as an interim security force in South-West Africa he estimates as required for each of the following duties: frontier defence and surveillance of illegal border crossings, aid to the civil power, including the proposed United Nations Commission during the period before and during the proposed General Election, and general security-keeping duties;
712W(4) what technical advice he received before putting forward to the South African Foreign Minister the proposal that 1,500 South African troops is the appropriate number required to maintain security in South-West Africa during the period before and during the election he proposes should be held there.
§ Dr. OwenHer Majesty's Government have been working with the Governments of the United States, France, the Federal Republic of Germany and Canada during recent months in an attempt to define the elements of a peaceful transition in Namibia, to an internationally accepted independence, within the framework of Security Council Resolution No. 385.
Our contacts with the parties have reached a stage where we have been able to put forward firm proposals for a settlement. In New York we made further progress towards narrowing the gap between the parties. A number of difficult problems remain, but we are determined to do all in our power to achieve the peaceful settlement of this problem which is so nearly within our grasp.