Middle East (Hansard, 30 November 2000)

§ Mr. Clappison
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of(a) Syrian control and influence in Lebanon and (b) Syria's role in respect of terrorist violence to be directed against Israel by Hezbollah and other groups in the vicinity of the Israel-Lebanon border. [141092]

§ Mr. Hain
Relations between Syria and Lebanon are a matter for their respective governments. We condemn all acts of terrorism whatever their origin, cause or motive and are also greatly concerned by any violations of either Israeli or Lebanese sovereign territory across the UN `Blue Line'. We continue to urge the Lebanese government to re-establish its control in the south and call on all parties to exercise restraint and to refrain from acts of provocation. We have encouraged Syria to use the influence it has to support regional calm.

§ Mr. Clappison
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Iran concerning(a) its policy on Israel and (b) the Middle East Peace Process. [141093]

§ Mr. Hain
We regularly discuss the Middle East Peace Process with the Iranian Government, and continue to encourage them to play a constructive role in the region.

§ Mr. Clappison
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the supply of arms and materials to Hezbollah(a) from Syria and (b) from Iran through Syria. [141091]

§ Mr. Hain
We have serious concerns about the continuing activity of Hezbollah as an armed faction in South Lebanon and their attacks across the UN-designated `Blue Line'. We have strong counter-proliferation concerns over arms supplies of any sort to paramilitary groups and bring these concerns regularly to the attention of governments in the region, including Syria and Iran.

§ Mr. Clappison
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent 835W representations he has made to Syria concerning (a) Hezbollah violence against Israel and (b) the Middle East Peace Process. [141090]

§ Mr. Hain
The Secretary of State raised both of the issues to which the hon. Member refers at his meeting with President Bashar Al-Asad in Damascus on 12 October.

§ Mr. Clappison
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the Government of Iran's policy on supply of arms to Hezbollah paramilitary forces in Lebanon. [141087]

§ Mr. Hain
We have a long-standing concern about Iran's record of support for terrorist groups, which we regularly raise with the Iranian Government.

§ Mr. Clappison
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of Iranian policy in respect of the Middle East Peace Process. [141094]

§ Mr. Hain
Iran has recently publicly adopted a more moderate stance towards the Middle East Peace Process. We continue to urge it to do so.

§ Mr. Clappison
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of links between the Government of Iran and Hezbollah. [141089]

§ Mr. Hain
The Iranian Government maintain high level political contacts with Hezbollah.

§ Mr. Clappison
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent attacks have been mounted by Hezbollah paramilitary forces against Israeli military and civilian targets in the vicinity of the Israel-Lebanon border. [141088]

§ Mr. Hain
The Government condemn all breaches of either Lebanese or Israeli sovereign territory and call upon all sides to respect the UN delineated "Blue Line" and continue to urge all parties to exercise restraint and to refrain from acts of provocation.
Since Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon on 24 May there have been several minor infringements of the Blue Line by both sides.
In addition Hezbollah have carried out two significant attacks against Israeli forces. These attacks took place in territory occupied by Israel in 1967 and not in Israel itself. On 7 October Hezbollah fired mortars at Israeli positions near Mount Dov as cover for the operation to kidnap three IDF soldiers. On 26 November Hezbollah detonated a roadside bomb about 1 km from the Blue Line in the Occupied Golan. Since 7 October Israeli forces have regularly violated Lebanese airspace, including high altitude observation flights as far north as Beirut and low level helicopter flights over the south, one of which landed in a Lebanese village. In response to the two Hezbollah attacks, Israeli forces have also mounted operations against targets in south Lebanon.