HC Deb 12 December 1988 vol 143 cc394-5W
Mr. Nicholas Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has any information on the number of Soviet bloc advisers in Angola at the present time.

Mrs. Chalker

We do not have reliable information on the number of Soviet bloc advisers in Angola.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what progress has been made by Her Majesty's Government in encouraging African intermediaries to promote and facilitate national reconciliation in Angola;

(2) whether Her Majesty's Government will act as an honest broker in bringing the MPLA-PT Government and UNITA together in a conference to promote national reconciliation in Angola;

(3) whether his Department has had any contact with third parties to promote national reconciliation in Angola;

(4) what assistance he will be giving to the organisation and supervision of free and fair elections in Angola.

Mrs. Chalker

We would welcome any move to establish internal peace in Angola which had the support of both sides. We believe, however, that African leaders in the region with whom we are in touch are best placed to mediate. It is not for us to prescribe how elections should be conducted in another sovereign state.

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