§ 21. Mr. Archie Hamiltonasked the Lord Privy Seal if he is satisfied with progress being made towards a settlement of the Middle East crisis.
§ Mr. HurdReconciliation in the Middle East remains a long way off. We and our European partners continue to press for acceptance by the parties, whose decision it must be, of certain basic principles, such as the mutual recognition of Israeli and Palestinian rights, without which progress towards a settlement is unlikely to be possible.
36. Mr. Whiteasked the Lord Privy Seal whether Her Majesty's Government propose to take any new steps to encourage Middle East States involved with the conflict between the Arabs and Israel to enter into direct negotiations with Israel.
§ Mr. HurdWe remain firmly committed to the principles of the Venice declaration as the basis for our policy in the Middle East. This calls for the recognition by all States of Israel's right to exist in peace and security and for the recognition by Israel of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination. Direct negotiations between Israel and its Arab neighbours are necessary and desirable but are unlikely to be productive before each side accepts that that other has legitimate rights.