§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the time frame envisaged in the communique issued following the meeting of the five Foreign Ministers in New York to discuss progress on Namibian independence, Official Report, 20 October, c. 348–9; and whether this has been affected by the current stalemate over linkage.
§ Mr. OnslowThe Five remain committed to the earliest possible implementation of the United Nations186W plan for a Namibia 'settlement. They have not, however, set a deadline for this; nor do we think it would be helpful to do so. The prospects for implementation of the plan will undoubtedly be affected by the outcome of separate discussions on regional security issues.
§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what properties are owned by Government Departments in Namibia; to what use they are presently put; and what is their intended future use.
§ Mr. OnslowThe Property Services Agency has the freehold of three houses in Windhoek, which are currently occupied under a caretaking arrangement. It is intended that they should eventually be used as accommodation for the British contingent of the Five's joint observer mission, and, after Namibian independence, for a British diplomatic mission.
§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funds the Government provide directly or indirectly, for the United Nations Council for Namibia.
§ Mr. OnslowWe provide no funds directly for the United Nations Council for Namibia. We contribute 4.46 per cent. of the regular United Nations budget—our share amounted to about £14 million in 1981; it is for the United Nations Secretary General to decide on the proportion of the total budget to be allocated to the United Nations Council for Namibia, in accordance with General Assembly resolutions.
§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government will make funds or other aid available for the election expenses of legitimate political parties in Namibia.
§ Mr. OnslowI refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 16 November to my hon. Friend the Member for Louth (Mr. Brotherton).—[Vol. 32, c.117.]
§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the United Nations Secretary-General's special representative about the deployment of United Nations transition assistance group forces, including their deployment on the northern border and outside the border region to prevent instances of terrorism and coercion.
§ Mr. OnslowNo. Deployment of United Nations transition assistance group forces will be for decision by the United Nations Secretary-General and the Commander of UNTAG. The United Nations special representative will use the resources at his disposal to guard against intimidation or interference with the electoral process from whatever quarter.
§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked 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 and assistance group forces in northern Namibia when an agreement leading to elections is reached.
§ Mr. OnslowI refer my hon. Friend to the reply my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, Pentlands (Mr. Rifkind) gave on 11 November to my hon. Friend the Member for Haltemprice (Sir P. Wall).—[Vol. 31, c. 234–5.]
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§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which nation's contingent or leadership will assume overall military command of United Nations transition and assistance group forces in northern Namibia when that force is eventually deployed.
§ Mr. OnslowThe command structure of the military component of the United Nations transition assistance group is a matter for decision by the United Nations Secretary-General. On the question of the commander-designate, I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 16 November to my hon. Friend the Member for Louth, (Mr. Brotherton).—[Vol. 32, c.117.]
§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what nature of assistance the United Kingdom has been requested to provide in the deployment and activities of the United Nations transition and assistance group when that force becomes operational in northern Namibia.
§ Mr. OnslowI refer my hon. Friend to the reply my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, Pentlands (Mr. Rifkind) gave on 11 November to my hon. Friend the Member for Haltemprice (Sir P. Wall).—[Vol. 31, c.234.]
§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what regular contact there is between Government Ministers and the internal parties of Namibia.
§ Mr. OnslowAlthough there are no arrangements for regular contact at ministerial level, Government Ministers take opportunities to see leaders of the internal parties when they present themselves. I saw Mr. Dirk Mudge, Chairman of the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance, in London in May.
§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the United Kingdom Government plan to install diplomatic, consular or commercial representatives in Windhoek, Namibia.
§ Mr. OnslowIt would be our intention to establish diplomatic relations, and to post British representatives in Windhoek as appropriate, once Namibia has achieved independence in accordance with Security Council resolution 435. During implementation of the United Nations plan, United Kingdom representatives will participate in the Five's joint observer mission.
§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek to arrange positive consultation between the internal parties in Namibia and the Contact Five negotiating group.
§ Mr. OnslowNo. We see no need for separate consultations at present between the Five and the internal parties in Namibia, but will continue to take account of their concerns as negotiations proceed.