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United States Secretary Of State

Volume 974: debated on Wednesday 28 November 1979

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9.

asked the Lord Privy Seal when he, or his noble Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, intends next to meet Secretary of State Vance.

My right hon. and noble Friend will meet the American Secretary of State on 13 and 14 December in Brussels at the NATO Council meeting, and on 17 December when he will accompany my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on her visit to the United States.

Will my hon. Friend urge the Foreign Secretary, when he meets Secretary of State Vance, utterly to deplore the events that are taking place in the United States embassy in Tehran? Further, will my hon. Friend urge his right hon. and noble Friend to use all his endeavours to achieve the adoption of a firm and united Western response, to what is no more and no less than primitive blackmail?

The United States is in no doubt about our support in the agony which that country is going through over the occupation of the American embassy in Tehran. Together with our friends in the Nine we have played, I believe, a useful function in helping the Americans in Tehran. We shall continue to assist the United States in any way that we can.

On a less important but none the less important matter, could the Foreign Secretary ask Secretary of State Vance whether he agrees with the leader in the New York Times regretting, from the point of view of the West, what this Government are doing to the BBC's external services?

There are many people who have to ask others to do other things. Having not seen that leader I cannot respond to the hon. Gentleman's question.

When the Foreign Secretary sees Secretary of State Vance will he bring to his attention the refugee situation on the Thai border? Is my hon. Friend aware that I visited those camps less than a month ago and all the prospects point to a build-up of refugees running into hundreds of thousands in the not too distant future? Those refugees have no prospect whatever of going back to their homes for a long time to come. Does my hon. Friend appreciate that this puts a tremendous burden on the Thai Government who will need all the support they can get from America, this country and the whole of the Western world?

The decision of the Thai Government to accept these refugees was a courageous and humane one. We have offered to help them to discharge the resulting responsibilities in any way that we can both through the EEC and directly. I am sure that the United States will also respond. I shall draw what my hon. Friend has said to the attention of my right hon. and noble Friend.

When the Foreign Secretary meets Secretary of State Vance will he assure him that many of us who deplored the deposing of Mr. Mossadeq in 1953, and were against the regime of the Shah, nevertheless deplore the action of the Iranian students in imprisoning American hostages for the purpose of terrorism and blackmail? Will the hon. Gentleman assure the Foreign Secretary that he has the support of all Members of the House in obtaining the early and safe release of the hostages?

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for what I am sure will be the sentiments of the whole House. Unless we can be sure of the security of diplomatic staff, it will be almost impossible to conduct business between States, whatever their differences.

Is consideration being given to withdrawing all Western embassies from Tehran? If not, why not.

For the present I believe that the presence of our embassy and other Western embassies in Tehran is nothing but helpful in the short-term crisis that persists. However, the situation is being kept under close review.

There will be many matters that the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary will wish to discuss with Mr. Vance when they go to the United States. I hope that they will convey to him the Government's statement on their sense of outrage about events at the American Embassy in Tehran. The Opposition certainly share that feeling as we regard this as an outrageous breach of international law. Will the Government make it plain to Mr. Vance how much they appreciate the American Government's helpful intervention at one stage in the protracted London conference talks, with their offer of financial assistance in order to help solve the difficult problem of the purchase of under-used land in Rhodesia by Africans?

I am sure that both the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary will be grateful for and feel strengthened by that assurance from the right hon. Gentleman about support in the Tehran embassy matter. I shall certainly pass on our thanks to the Americans for their helpful attitude over land in Rhodesia.

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I must register a protest on behalf of many hon. Members who feel that it is outrageous that questions to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office should be cut short at this time.

I am obliged to the hon. Member, but I must point out that I do not control that.