§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what specific steps are being taken by his Department to establish in Namibia a system which will protect the rights and freedoms of the different ethnic and social groups in that country following its independence;
(2) if he will make it his policy to promote the adoption of a pre-independence constitution in Namibia in order to protect the rights of minority ethnic and social groups following independence;
(3) if he will make a statement outlining his policy on and involvement in those current efforts in Namibia which are designed to bring about national reconciliation and a pre-independence constitution;
(4) if he will make it his policy to discuss with leaders of all the different ethnic and political groupings in Namibia the possibility of bringing about in that country national reconciliation and a pre-independence constitution.
(5) what steps he is taking to ensure that ethnic and social groups other than SWAPO continue to be represented in the Government of Namibia following independence.
§ Mrs. ChalkerWe continue to support Namibian independence on the basis of the UN plan endorsed by Security Council resolution 435. We are satisfied that the existing provisions of the plan, in particular the constitutional principles agreed in 1982, provide sufficient safeguards for all ethnic and social groups in Namibia. The UN plan also provides for a transition period before independence in which an elected assembly will draw up a constitution.