HC Deb 23 April 1952 vol 499 cc380-2
16. Mr. Woodrow Wyatt

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why the British representative at the United Nations received instructions to vote against the reference of the Tunisian dispute to the Security Council.

Mr. Eden

After careful consideration of the issues involved, the British representative at the United Nations was instructed to vote again the inclusion of the Tunisian question in the Agenda of the Security Council. Apart from the question of the competence of the Security Council to intervene in a matter within French domestic jurisdiction, all the information at my disposal confirms that international intervention at this stage would only encourage those who held extreme views on either side in Tunisia.

Her Majesty's Government were and are convinced that the best hope of a solution of this problem lies in direct discussions between the French and the Tunisians themselves.

Mr. Wyatt

Did the right hon. Gentleman consult other countries in the Commonwealth, because Governments of the Commonwealth representing the vast majority of the population of the Commonwealth wanted this matter to be referred to the Security Council? Does he realise that supporting antiquated colonialism in this way acts as a powerful stimulus to Communist propaganda throughout the world? Does this extraordinary action mean that he and his party have learned nothing during the past six years?

Mr. Eden

I cannot accept any one of the hon. Gentleman's insinuations. I gave a great deal of personal attention to this very difficult question. It is, for instance, not even true that the whole Arab world wanted this matter raised—

Mr. Wyatt

The Commonwealth—

Mr. Eden

I am at the moment dealing with the Arab world, which is concerned with Tunisia. As regards the actual matter we had to consider, of course I knew what was the attitude of Pakistan in this matter and I weighed it carefully, but I also had to consider, first, that it is quite clear under the arrangements between Tunisia and France that this is a domestic matter and does not fall under the terms of the Charter. I did not base my decision on that—I am sorry to answer at length, but it was a long question—I based it on all the first-hand reports I had, including one from Her Majesty's Minister visiting Tunis, that what the extremists on either side wanted was an international discussion on this topic at this moment and I have no doubt that had we had that discussion there would have been more bloodshed and less chance of a settlement.

Mr. Wyatt

Does the right hon. Gentleman not realise that much the same situation operated in Indonesia and that the Labour Government then supported the matter being referred to the Security Council and the whole thing was ended in the smoothest possible way?

Mr. Eden

The hon. Member cannot be familiar with the position in Tunisia; there really is no parallel. If he will look at the position in Tunisia he will see that in the internal conditions and the position of the French residents in relation to the members of the native population there is absolutely no parallel with the situation in Indonesia.

Mr. E. Shinwell

Do I understand from the right hon. Gentleman's answer that if a dispute is regarded as being purely domestic in character it must never be referred to the Security Council, even if there is a possibility of wider considerations flowing from that dispute?

Mr. Eden

I said that according to the terms of the Charter this dispute does not fall within the terms of the Charter, but I fully realise the immense importance of this topic and I ask the House to believe that I have given a great deal of personal consideration to what should be done. We could have abstained from voting which would have had just the same effect as voting against, but I thought that as it was wrong to raise the issue at this time, we ought to have the courage to vote against it. I think we should observe the Charter and we are under obligation to do so in normal times.

Mr. John Hynd

While I think everyone in the House will agree with the Minister that this matter is one which could better be settled between the French and Tunisians, it is a fact that it has not been so settled in a considerable time. Does not the Foreign Secretary agree that since abstention would have achieved the same results it would have been very much better as it would have removed any misunderstanding of the British position in a case where there are two sides?

Mr. Eden

There is now a Franco-Tunisian Mixed Commission being set up, which is one of the things I wanted to help, to study the reforms put forward by the French Government, and I think the House will want that Commission to be successful.