HC Deb 28 November 1986 vol 106 c380W
Mr. Terlezki

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will invite representatives of the 15 Soviet republics as well as Foreign Ministers from the satellite states to London, to discuss Anglo-Soviet relations and human rights in the light of the Helsinki Agreement; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Renton

No. We are in regular touch with the Governments of the Soviet Union and the eastern Europe countries about human rights in those countries. The subject is also being addressed at the CSCE review meeting currently taking place in Vienna.

Mr. Terlezki

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to Ukrainian representatives at the United Nations, regarding (a) human rights in the Ukraine (b) the monitoring of the Helsinki Agreement, (c) freedom to practise Roman Catholicism, (d) the use of Ukrainian as the official language in the Ukraine in schools, in the Ukraine higher institutes of education and government departments and (e) the availability of newspapers and periodicals in the Ukrainian language; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Renton

We are concerned by abuses of human rights and the denial of fundamental freedoms, including freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief, wherever they occur, including the Ukraine. We make representations to the Soviet authorities on these issues and raise them at the CSCE meeting in Vienna.