HC Deb 08 February 1989 vol 146 cc737-8W
57. Mr. Leigh

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Anglo-Soviet relations.

Mr. Waldegrave

Anglo-Soviet relations are much improved. Mr. Gorbachev will be visiting Britain from 5 to 7 April. Fundamental differences between us remain. But we now have an increasingly wide-ranging dialogue and an expanding programme of co-operation and exchanges with the Russians.

68. Mr. Brandon-Bravo

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the latest information he has received concerning the state of human rights in the Soviet Union.

Mr. Waldegrave

There has been progress on human rights in the Soviet Union over the past few months. But much remains to be done. We pressed the Russians for more progress most recently at the UK/USSR bilateral talks on human rights on 26 January.

97. Mr. Lawrence

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will report on the bilateral human rights talks held in London recently with the Soviets.

Mr. Waldegrave

These talks were useful and wide ranging. The Soviet delegation explained their plans for fundamental legislative reform: we underlined the importance of providing full guarantees that basic human freedoms will be respected. We also pressed the Russians on a number of individual cases of particular concern. They agreed to re-examine our lists of refuseniks and prisoners of conscience.