Western Sahara (Hansard, 8 February 1995)

§ Mr. Corbyn
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings representatives of his Department have had with representatives of the Polisario Front; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Baldry
Polisario representatives have met FCO officials on a number of occasions.

§ Mr. Corbyn
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what occasions at the United Nations Security Council the United Kingdom representatives has raised the issue of the performance of the MINURSO force in the Western Sahara.

§ Mr. Goodlad
The subject of MINURSO and its performance has been raised and discussed in the UN Security Council on numerous occasions, most recently on 13 January 1995.
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§ Mr. Corbyn
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the statement made to the United States Congress House Appropriations Committee on 25 January by Frank Ruddy concerning the United Nations operation in Western Sahara; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Goodlad
We understand that no transcript or detailed record was made of Mr. Ruddy's comments to the appropriations sub-committee of the United States House of Representatives on 25 January, and have made no assessment of them.

§ Mr. Corbyn
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what visits have been made to the Western Sahara by representatives of Her Majesty's Government; and which diplomatic post deals with relations with the Polisario.

§ Mr. Baldry
Three visits were made to the Western Sahara by FCO officials in 1994. We do not have formal relations with Polisario.

§ Mr. Corbyn
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution Britain currently makes to MINURSO; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Goodlad
The United Kingdom does not at present contribute personnel to MINURSO. The mission continues to operate from an unencumbered balance assessed on member states in 1991, the UK contribution
to which was US $8.2 million.

§ Mr.Corbyn
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what actions have been taken by the United Kingdom to assist giving effect to the United Nations Security Council resolution 973, concerning the future of the Western Saraha.

§ Mr. Goodlad
The United Kingdom will be paying its share of the cost of the reinforcements for MINURSO which are provided for in Security Council resolution 973. Implementation of the resolution is primarily a matter for the UN secretariat. The British ambassadors in Tunis and Addis Ababa have, with French, American and Spanish colleagues, lobbied the President of Tunisia—the current President of the Organisation of African Unity—and the OAU Secretary-General to provide extra observers for the UN's identification process in Western Sahara.