§ Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Lord Privy Seal whether he has assessed the likely effect on Her Majesty's Government and their allies of the establishment of a Soviet-backed State controlled by the Palestine Liberation Organisation upon the containment by Her Majesty's Government and their allies of Soviet influence in the Middle East.
§ Mr. HurdThe best way to safeguard the interests of the West and stability in 739W the area would be a comprehensive settlement guaranteeing the future of both Israelis and Palestinians. If a Palestinian State were to be established as a result of negotiations, it would be necessary for there to be adequate guarantees of the security of all States in the area including Israel. We, together with our partners in the Nine, have on several occasions expressed our readiness to participate in such guarantees.
§ Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Lord Privy Seal what discussions he has had with his North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies about the threat to the security of the Middle East which would be posed by a Soviet-backed State controlled by the Palestine Liberation Organisation.
§ Mr. HurdWe exchange views regularly with our NATO allies on political developments in several areas, including the Middle East. The NATO ministerial meeting of December 1979 reaffirmed NATO's belief that a lasting Middle East peace required the resolution of the Palestinian problem in all its aspects and the achievement of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people in the context of a negotiated settlement ensuring the security of all States in the region, including Israel.