§ 34. Mr. Fenner Brockwayasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how the British delegate on the Political Committee of the United Nations voted on the Indonesian motion for the resumption of negotiations between the Netherlands and the Indonesian Governments on the future of West New Guinea.
§ The Joint Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr. R. H. Turton)No Indonesian motion on the future of West New Guinea was voted upon in the Political Committee. On 30th November a resolution was put forward in the Committee by five Latin American arid three other countries. This resolution was approved with 34 votes in favour, 14 against and 10 abstentions. The United Kingdom delegation voted against the resolution.
§ Mr. BrockwayWould the hon. Gentleman reconsider the attitude of the United Kingdom on this matter? Surely, if the 594 United Nations is to serve the cause of peace, one of its first duties should be to urge negotiations between any member States.
§ Mr. TurtonThe reasons Her Majesty's Government had for voting against this resolution were very clearly outlined by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs before the First Committee on 25th and 30th November, and they were fully reported in the Press. The position is this. Her Majesty's Government consider that the Netherlands Government have fully performed their obligations under the 1949 Charter of the transfer of sovereignty, under which the sovereignty of the former Netherlands East Indies was transferred to the new Federated Republic of Indonesia, while the future status of Netherlands New Guinea was expressly reserved.