§ Sir Patrick Wallasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what efforts Her Majesty's Government have made through the central group of Five to resolve the Namibia-Cuban-Angolan linkage issue; and with what success.
§ Mr. RifkindThe issues to which my hon. Friend refers are not part of the United Nations plan for a Namibia settlement and the mandate of the Five. However, we remain in touch with the parties concerned, since we believe that agreement on these issues could ensure implementation of the United Nations plan and contribute towards wider stability in the region.
§ Sir Patrick Wallasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance, and of what nature, the United Kingdom has been requested to provide in the deployment and activities of the United Nations transition assistance group when that force becomes operational in Namibia.
§ Mr. RifkindIn 1978–79 we provisionally offered to contribute to the United Nations transition assistance group (UNTAG) a signals squadron of 80 men. The size and shape of any possible United Kingdom commitment to UNTAG has not yet been decided. However, despite new commitments in the Falklands and the difficulties that the provision of a signals squadron would undoubtedly cause us, subject to other commitments we are prepared to consider any renewed request from the United Nations secretariat.
§ Sir Patrick Wallasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the planned manpower of the United Nations transition assistance group forces, civilian and military, on the north Namibian border; and if he considers that such strength is sufficient to maintain a future ceasefire, in view of the fact that the number of Cuban troops is estimated at 18,000.
§ Mr. RifkindI refer my hon. Friend to the reply my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office gave on 9 November to my hon. Friend the Member for Macclesfield (Mr. Winterton).
§ Sir Patrick Wallasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what nationalities of troops, with each contingent's respective planned strength, are to be deployed as United Nations transition assistance group forces in northern Namibia when an agreement leading to elections is reached.
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§ Mr. Rifkindthe composition and deployment of the United Nations transition assistance group are matters for decision by the United Nations secretary-general and his special representative; and no announcement has yet been made. We understand that the United Nations secretariat has made good progress in identifying possible contributors to the military component of UNTAG.