German Unification (Hansard, 4 April 1990)

§ 19. Mr. Skinner
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next expects to meet the West German Foreign Minister regarding reunification; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Waldegrave
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs met the West German Foreign Minister during the Anglo-German summit on 30 March, where they had useful discussions on a wide range of issues of mutual interest, including the external aspects of German reunification. They meet frequently and shall certainly do so again at, for example, NATO and EC meetings.

§ 35. Mr. Wareing
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress of the two plus four conference on the unification of Germany.

§ Mr. Waldegrave
Preparatory talks at official level were held in Bonn on 14 March in accordance with the mandate given by the Foreign Ministers of the Federal Republic of Germany, German Democratic Republic, France, United Kingdom, USSR and United States in Ottawa on 13 February. Officials discussed procedural questions and the agenda of future meetings. The next meeting will take place after the formation of a new German Democratic Republic Government.

§ 45. Mr. Dykes
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom's response to steps towards German reunification following the East German election results on 18 March.

§ Mr. Waldegrave
We have welcomed the GDR elections on 18 March as a great day for Europe and East Germany. We hope the two plus four talks can get down to substantive business as soon as the new democratically elected GDR Government are formed.
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§ 67. Mr. Hind
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to meet the Foreign Minister of East Germany to discuss German unification; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Waldegrave
After the appointment of a new Foreign Minister for East Germany, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs looks forward to discussions of matters of mutual interest. He would, in any case, expect to meet him/her at the first meeting at ministerial level of the two plus four talks on the external aspects of German unification, for which, as yet, no date has been set.