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Mr. Renton: My right hon. and learned Friend was able to have a full exchange of views on chemical weapons with NATO colleagues at the meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Halifax on 29-30 May. The NAC reaffirmed its strong commitment to the early agreement of a comprehensive and verifiable global ban.
RECE
Central America O JUN 1986
69. Mr. Cohen asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what fürther steps are
Portugal
81. Mr. Leigh asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the present state of Anglo-Portuguese relations.
Mr. Eggar: As the celebrations last month of the 600th anniversary of the Treaty of Windsor demonstrated Anglo- Portuguese relations are excellent. Trade and tourism continue to prosper. In addition to our historical alliances, Britain and Portugal co-operate closely within the Atlantic Alliance and, following Portuguese accession on 1
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to be taken by the European Economic Commentary, within the European Community. the Contadora peace process Central America.
Mr. Eggar: The Twelve will continue to maintain close contact with the Contadora group and support their efforts by, for example, fulfilling the agreements signed in Luxembourg in November 1985. However, we share the Latin American view that the solution to the central American problem must come from the region itself.
Turkey
71. Mr. Jessel asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations with Turkey.
Mr. Eggar: We enjoy excellent relations with Turkey based on our shared membership of NATO, the Council of Europe and the OECD. In February the Turkish Prime Minister made a most successful official visit to the United Kingdom. I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Riverside (Mr. Parry) on 24 February.
East-West Relations
78. Mr. Tom Clarke asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government are considering any new initiatives for improving East-West relations; and if he will make a
statement.
Mr. Renton: We are promoting a full programme of contacts at all levels with the Soviet Union and the countries of Eastern Europe. The best contribution to an improvement in East-West relations would be progress in arms control negotiations, which requires a serious Soviet response to western negotiating positions in Geneva, Vienna and Stockholm; progress in the CSCE process and over respect for human rights; and the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan.
Human Contacts Conference, Berne
79. Mr. Woodfall asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the latest progress made at the Human Contacts Conference in Berne.
Mr. Renton: The Berne meeting, which ended on 27 May without agreement on a final document, was the occasion for a thorough discussion of compliance with existing CSCE commitments in the field of human contacts. There was also discussion of new commitments, which will contribute to the work of the CSCE follow-up meeting which opens in Vienna in November.
We shall continue to press the Soviet Union for progress in removing obstacles to wider human contacts.
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United States of America
83. Sir Eldon Griffiths asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the implications for United States United Kingdom relations of the number of British jobs sustained by the presence of United States bases in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Eggar: We welcome the presence of the United States forces in this country-not only for the estimated 30,000 British jobs they directly, or indirectly, create but also, as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence made clear on 13 May, for the great contribution they make through the NATO Alliance to the defence of this country.
Spain
84. Mr. John Mark Taylor asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes there have been in Anglo-Spanish relations since Spanish accession to the EEC.
Mr. Eggar: Following Spanish accession to the European Community, Britain and Spain have naturally developed a close political and economic relationship, as befits two European allies and partners. Bilateral relations were given a further important boost by the successful state visit to Britain last month of the King and Queen of Spain.
China
85. Mr. Holt asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next expects to discuss the future of Hong Kong with a representative of the Chinese Government.
Mr. Renton: My right hon. and learned Friend has no current plans to meet a representative of the Chinese Government. However, he did meet the Chinese Foreign Minister in Brussels on 23 May. In the course of discussions, which covered international and bilateral matters of common interest, he noted with satisfaction the progress made in the implementation of the Joint Declaration on the future of Hong Kong. Hong Kong has also been among the matters discussed during the current visit to Britain of General Secretary Hu Yaobang. We look forward to continuing these exchanges when opportunities arise in future.
Israel and Jordan
90. Mr. Mikardo asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in the light of the Prime Minister's visit to Israel, what are the prospects of direct negotiations between Israel and Jordan
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