§ 2.42 p.m.
§ LORD BALFOUR OF INCHRYEMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government the number of member countries of UNO asked by the Secretary-General of that organisation to report back on steps taken to impose mandatory sanctions against Rhodesia; how many have given full assurances; how many have given qualified assurances; how many declined, and how many have not replied.]
1082§ THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (LORD CHALFONT)My Lords, the Secretary-General's request for information on the steps taken to implement the Security Council resolution of December 16 was addressed to all members of the United Nations. His report, which was circulated on the February 24, indicates that 72 members have replied and 50 have not. Answers to the noble Lord's other questions must await the outcome of our present study the report. Meanwhile, I have arranged for a copy to be placed in the Library.
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYMy Lords, can the noble Lord say when we can expect an answer to the remaining points in Lord Balfour of Inchrye's Question? It seems important to know how far the answers are favourable, how far hostile, and how far the list indicates only limited support for the proposal that Her Majesty's Government put forward.
§ LORD CHALFONTMy Lords, the great majority of members who have replied have reported that they have taken the measures they consider necessary in order to comply with the provisions of the resolution. The noble Marquess will see, if he studies the report, that it is not a simple question of, Yes or No, and for or against; clearly, we shall have to make a study of this report before we can give reasoned answers to the noble Lord's Question.
§ LORD BALFOUR OF INCHRYEMy Lords, could the Minister say what is the degree of satisfaction, or otherwise, that Her Majesty's Government feel at the response which has come so far?
§ LORD CHALFONTMy Lords, it would be difficult to be precise about that; but we are reluctant, I think with good evidence, to assume that any member of the United Nations will in the end fail to carry out its obligations as a member; namely to implement a mandatory resolution of the Security Council.
§ LORD CARRINGTONMy Lords, can the noble Lord say whether any countries have flatly declined, and, if so, which they are?
§ LORD CHALFONTMy Lords, it is difficult to specify whether anyone has declined. In the case of Switzerland, for 1083 example, they have reported that they would ensure that sanctions would not be evaded by the use of Swiss territory, but that they could not submit to mandatory sanctions of the United Nations because they are not members of the United Nations. Portugal has called in question the validity of the resolution. But, apart from that, there is no evidence that any country has flatly declined to assume its obligations as a member of the United Nations.
§ LORD OAKSHOTTMy Lords, can the noble Lord say whether the report disclosed anything about the reported Boussac deal in France?
§ LORD CHALFONTMy Lords, that, I think, does not arise out of the original Question or my answers to it, but if the noble Lord will put down a Question on it I can obtain the answer.
§ LORD GRIMSTON OF WESTBURYMy Lords, having regard to what they have so far studied in the report, do Her Majesty's Government still consider that they will bring the Rhodesians to their knees through sanctions, particularly as they have said that they will not now grant independence without African majority rule?
§ LORD CHALFONTMy Lords, I think this is spreading the net rather wide. I would point out that any consequences which now flow from what the Security Council and the Secretary-General have done would be for decision by the Security Council, and are really an entirely different question.