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229
Written Answers
23 JULY 1975
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH
AFFAIRS
Poland
60. Mr. Blenkinsop asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on Anglo-Polish relations following his recent visit to Poland.
Mr. James Callaghan: I visited Poland from 13th to 15th July 1975 at the invita- tion of Mr. Stefan Olszowski, the Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs. My visit fol- lowed his visit to London in Apul 1974, and was the first visit to Poland by a British Foreign Secretary since the one made by my right hon. Friend the Mem- ber for Fulham (Mr. Stewan) in 1965.
I should like to express my very warm appreciation of the hospitable reception which our Polish hosts gave to my wife and myself and to the members of the party who accompanied us.
On my way to Warsaw I visited Gdañsk, and had the pleasure of meeting the leaders of the local party and Government organisations there. I was also able to see for myself the most impressive way in which the people of the city have recon- structed it following the very heavy damage which it suffered during the last War.
In Warsaw I had talks with Mr. Olszow- ski, and also made calls on Mr. Gierek, First Secretary of the Polish United Wor- kers' Party, Dr. Jablonski. Chairman of the Council of State, and Mr. Jaroszewicz, Chairman of the Council of Ministers.
At the end of my visit, Mr. Olszowski and I signed a Declaration on the Develop ment of Friendly Relations between the United Kingdom and the Polish People's Republic, which I hope to arrange to be published shortly.
The communiqué issued after my visit, a copy of which has been placed in the Library, said that
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'the talks and meetings were conducted in an atmosphere of friendship, co-operation and mutual confidence reflecting the tradition of friendly relations between the two countries". The excellent state of our relations with Poland is of course well known to the House, and is reflected in many fields, notably our trade, and the number of visitors from ach country to the other.
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Written Answers
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In our talks we discussed a broad range of international affairs, as well as our bilateral relations. We were of course particularly interested in the work of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe. I also took the opportunity to assure my Polish hosts that our member- ship of the European Community, far from diminishing our bilaterai relations, would enhance them by making us a more worth- while and influential partner.
I therefore have every confidence that, as a result of my visit, and those made by other Ministers in both directions, our relations with Poland, already good, will continue to develop further in a wide variety of fields.
Hong Kong
Mr. Costain asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Allairs how many vehicles there are on the roads of Hong Kong at present; and how many there will be by the time the mass transit system is completed.
Mr. Ennals: There are currently 190,000 vehicles on the roads in Hong Kong. If it is decided to proceed, the initial system of the mass transit railway is planned to be completed by 1980 when the number of vehicles is expected to have reached 270,000.
Mr. Costain asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people would be em- ployed in the construction of the mass transit system in Hong Kong.
Mr. Ennals: It is estimated that about 2,500 people would be employed in the early stages of building the modified ini- tial system of the Mass Transit Railway. The number would rise to some 4.500 between 1976 and 1978, when the bulk of the work would be undertaken.
Mr. Goodlad asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many work stoppages owing to strikes took place in Hong Kong in 1974.
Mr. Ennals: Nineteen.
Mr. Goodiad asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth
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COL. 230..... VOL. 8.9.6
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