Oral Answers to Questions — Overseas Development – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 4 February 1991.
Margaret Ewing
, Moray
12:00,
4 February 1991
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further consideration has been given to changes in technical aid to the Soviet Union in light of events in the Baltic states.
Mrs Lynda Chalker
, Wallasey
With our partners, we are watching developments in the Soviet Union closely. We have suspended EC technical assistance, although emergency and food aid may continue where we can guarantee delivery direct to those in need. There is no Governmentto-Government aid to the Soviet Union.
Margaret Ewing
, Moray
Although I welcome the Minister's response on the ending of technical aid to the Soviet Union, may I ask her to assure the House that the British Government will be in no way complacent in ensuring that pressure on the Soviet Union is maintained with a view to securing a peaceful resolution to events in the Baltic states? As there have been 20 deaths in the Baltic states in just three weeks, she must agree that there is no room for complacency. Can she assure us that no deal whatever will be done and that a blind eye will not be turned for the purpose of securing continued Soviet Union assistance in the Gulf?
Mrs Lynda Chalker
, Wallasey
As I said during previous Overseas Development questions, we deeply deplore the actions of the Soviet troops in Vilnius and Riga and their tragic consequences, which the hon. Lady mentioned. The behaviour of those troops is totally unacceptable and we have made our concern very well known to the Soviet authorities. The hon. Lady may like to know that the Foreign Secretary summoned the Soviet chargé on 21 January to underline our concern, and in every forum in which we have encountered the Soviets we have made those concerns known. However, it may still be necessary for us, where possible, to help people directly through humanitarian aid.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
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