§ Mr. Thurnhamasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on recent developments in the search for a solution to the Arab-Israeli dispute.
§ Mr. LuceWe remain convinced that a just and lasting settlement of the Arab-Israel dispute, arrived at by peaceful negotiation, is overwhelmingly in the interests of all the parties and of the international community as a whole. We therefore fully support King Hussein's current initiative, and also welcome the ideas put forward by the Israeli Prime Minister on 10 June. We maintain a close dialogue with the parties, with whom the prime responsibility for action must lie. As part of this process we recently welcomed in London King Hussein of Jordan and Deputy Prime Minister Shamir of Israel. We are also keeping in close touch with our partners in the European Community, and with the United States, on this important subject.