§ Lord Gainfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they intend to maintain participation in the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) which is monitoring the Israeli-Egyptian frontier.
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey)We have informed signatories of the 1981 protocol establishing the MFO that we aim to end our present commitment in October 1992. This decision reflects financial considerations and the fact that the Israeli-Egyptian border is both stable and internationally recognised. We have received various responses to our decision to withdraw from the signatories to the 1981 protocol, which we are considering.