§ 71. Mr. Gregoryasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to meet the Soviet Foreign Minister.
§ Mr. RifkindMy right hon. and learned Friend met Mr. Shevardnadze in Helsinki in August and in New York in September. He has invited him to pay a visit to the United Kingdom; dates have not yet been agreed.
§ 77. Mr. Lawrenceasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Soviet Foreign Minister on the importance of existing international obligations being honoured before new obligations are entered upon.
§ Mr. RifkindIn his speech to the meeting held to mark the tenth anniversary of the Helsinki final act, my right hon. and learned Friend made clear our concern at Eastern failure to live up to their existing conference on security and co-operation in Europe commitments on human rights and that we would keep this issue firmly on the East-West agenda. Similarly in the field of arms control, we have 213W stressed the need for strict fulfilment by all parties of their obligations under the provisions of arms control agreements.
§ 80. Mr. Woodallasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, in view of the top level contacts now being made by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States of America, he will seek to impress upon the Soviet Foreign Minister the importance of complying with the human rights obligations under the Helsinki final act.
§ Mr. RifkindWe have consistently made clear in our contacts with the Soviet leadership that we expect them fully to comply with the human rights provisions contained in the Helsinki and Madrid documents. We shall continue to do so. The United States Administration have already raised human rights issues with Mr. Shevardnadze and President Reagan has said he will do so when he meets Mr. Gorbachev in Geneva.