§ 21 Mr. Ginsburgasked the Lord Privy Seal whether the Government have any evidence of public statements from the Palestine Liberation Organisation that the European Economic Community initiative has induced the Palestine Liberation Organisation to modify its official position rejecting Israel's right to exist.
§ Mr. HurdThe attitude of the Palestine Liberation Organisation towards the Venice declaration and European peace efforts has for the most part been positive, but its future attitude towards Israel remain unclear. We shall continue to impress upon the Palestine Liberation Organisation the importance of a clear signal from it of its readiness to accept a negotiated settlement in which Israel's right to exist will be accepted, in return for Israeli acceptance of Palestinian self-determination.
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§ 33. Mr. Lawrenceasked the Lord Privy Seal if he will list the dates and occasions on which he and other Ministers and officials of his Department have made public and private requests to representatives of the Palestine Liberation Organisation to renounce the terms of their national covenant and to accept the continued existence of the State of Israel within secure boundaries; and what response he has received.
§ Mr. HurdIt would be impracticable to provide such a list. All meetings between officials and PLO representatives are used to urge the PLO to take these steps. The same point has been made publicly on frequent occasions by Ministers of this Government in the House and elsewhere. The PLO is reluctant to make any unilateral move in the absence of any Israeli acceptance of Palestinian self-determination, but we shall continue to press it.