§ Sir John FarrTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when and where he expects the international convention on the subject of Semtex envisaged in his answer of 10 April,Official Report, column 360, will take place; and whether British attendance will be at ministerial level.
§ Mr. WaldegraveWe are discussing with European Community partners and others the most appropriate forum in which to negotiate a convention. Further technical study of the feasibility of marking explosives must precede any such negotiation. The United Kingdom will continue to take a leading role.
§ Sir John FarrTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has as to which countries apart from Czechoslovakia have the ability to manufacture and export Semtex and as to which of these countries takes either of these courses of action.
§ Mr. WaldegraveAs far as I am aware, Semtex is riot produced in any country other than Czechoslovakia. The Czechoslovak authorities have stated publicly that they no longer export Semtex.