§ Mr. CummingsTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Her Majesty's Government intend to re-establish the British Council in Managua, Nicaragua; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydThe British Council has no plans to open an office in Managua.
§ Mr. CummingsTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps Her Majesty's Government are taking to improve diplomatic relations with the Nicaraguan Government; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Garel-JonesWe enjoy close and friendly relations with the Government of Nicaragua. I received Sr. Enrique Dreyfus, the Nicaraguan Foreign Minister, when he visited the United Kingdom last December and we held further talks in March when I visited Nicaragua to attend the San Jose VII meeting of EC and central American Foreign Ministers. The visit also enabled me to visit some of the projects carried out under our bilateral aid programme.