§ 30. Dr. Liam FoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the role the United Nations plays in the peaceful settlement of conflicts.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe United Nations has a key role to play in promoting the peaceful settlement of disputes, as is reflected in "Agenda for Peace". The United Kingdom has called for greater resort to preventive diplomacy, including fact-finding missions and the use of the Secretary-General's good offices. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs said in his speech to the general assembly on 22 September,
preventive diplomacy is quicker, more helpful to peoples about to be embroiled in conflict than the most successful peace-keeping or peace-making operation which follows the outbreak of violence. It is also less costly, in terms of lives and cash".