§ 2.52 p.m.
§ LORD NAPIER AND ETTRICKMy 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 what other Governments, if any, have officially expressed their displeasure at the proposal to allow Rhodesian citizens, both black and white, to partake in the forthcoming Olympic Games, and how many have expressed approval.
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE)My Lords, 91 countries voted for General Assembly Resolution No. 2796 (XXVI) on December 10, 1971. It called upon
all States to take all appropriate steps to ensure the exclusion of the so-called National Olympic Committee of Rhodesia from participating in the 20th Olympic Games ".I am not aware that any Government has officially expressed approval of Rhodesian attendance at the Games.
§ LORD NAPIER AND ETTRICKMy Lords, can my noble friend deny that the Olympic Committee have achieved for the Games what years of diplomatic haggling with Salisbury have failed to do?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, I think the Olympic Committee have done a great deal, but the Question asked whether any nations disapproved of this particular matter and I gave the reply.
§ LORD BARNBYMy Lords, would the noble Baroness say more clearly what is the real attitude of the Government with regard to participation by other countries in the Olympic Games? Does it not seem that impeding participation amounts to just about the same as impeding the international ploughing competitions, as was done on an earlier occasion with regard to Rhodesia.
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, it is not Her Majesty's Government who are impeding any decision on this. It is entirely a decision for the Federal Republic of Germany. Their advice was asked and we drew their attention both to the Assembly resolution and also to Security Council Resolution 253.
§ BARONESS LLEWELYN-DAVIES OF HASTOEMy Lords, while entirely accepting the noble Baroness's position with regard to the Federal Government, may I ask whether Her Majesty's Government will convey to the responsible authorities the great repugnance that will be felt by the majority of the British Commonwealth when, if the Rhodesian athletes are successful and they stand on the podium to receive their medals, " God Save the Queen! " will be played for a nation which is in rebellion against the Crown?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, I do not think we shall make any representations in this matter, because it is for the Federal Republic of Germany to make up its own mind together with the Olympic Committee. Of course all noble Lords must regret that that this is one of the consequences of I.D.I. The whole point of the settlement proposals was to try to bring an end to all this.
§ LORD AVEBURYMy Lords, it ought to be pointed out to the West German Government that the illegal passports issued by the Smith regime were held by the vast majority of the United Nations to be invalid. What reply did she receive from the West German Government, and is it still a possibility that these people will be able to travel on worthless pieces of paper issued by an illegal regime in rebellion against the Crown?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, the Security 1040 Council resolution, which is mandatory and to which we drew the attention of the German Government referred to the Rhodesian passports, and I understand that the Federal German Government have now told the German Olympic organising committee that they have decided that the entry of the Rhodesian team was not desirable.
§ LORD GRIMSTON OF WESTBURYMy Lords, is it not desirable that a multiracial Rhodesian team should attend the Olympic Games? What is the objection?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, as I have said before, it is for the Federal Government to decide their attitude in the light of all the circumstances, particularly from the point of view of the Olympic passports. All we have done—and our advice was asked for—was to draw attention to the two resolutions and to the possible consequences which might follow from the attendance of the Rhodesian competitors.
§ LORD BARNBYMy Lords, can the noble Baroness make any comment on the Press report by a Member of this House—Lord Exeter—that there was a commitment, when permission for the Games were given, that there should be no exclusions to any competing country?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, I also happended to notice that particular report, but the fact remains that all we have done is to draw attention to both the Assembly and the Security Council resolutions. It is not for us to decide; it is for the Federal Republic of Germany.