§ Mr. AltonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Comonwealth Affairs if the Government will exert their influence in the European Community and the United Nations Security Council to urge the imposition of concerted trade sanctions against Indonesia until such time as a United Nations monitored referendum for independence is held in East Timor.
§ Mr. GoodladThe Government do not believe that the imposition of trade sanctions against Indonesia would be an appropriate or effective way of promoting a solution to the East Timor question.
§ Mr. AltonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Comonwealth Affairs what measures Her Majesty's Government have taken as current President of the European Community to advance Portugal's legal and political efforts to address the political and human rights situation in East Timor.
§ Mr. GoodladAs current President of the Community, the United Kingdom has made representations and taken action with the Indonesians on the situation in East Timor on the basis of agreed Community views and policies. We have made clear continuing Community concerns about the human rights situation in East Timor and about disparity in the sentencing of those involved in last year's Dili incident. We have welcomed the recent resumption of a dialogue between Portugal and Indonesia, under the United Nations Secretary-General's auspices, about East Timor.