§ Mr. ThurnhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about East-West relations following the visit of Secretary Gorbachev.
§ Sir Geoffrey HoweWe welcome the results of the United States/Soviet summit in Washington and hope that the agreement on intermediate range nuclear forces will lead to progress on further measures of arms control. The opportunity is there to establish a healthier and safer relationship between East and West. But this requires lasting confidence which needs much greater Soviet respect for human rights and greater co-operation over the peaceful settlement of regional conflicts, including in particular the early withdrawal of all Soviet forces from Afghanistan.