§ 36. Mr. Noel-Bakerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what information he has as to the number of Chinese Nationalist troops who have been evacuated from Burma, in accordance with the resolution adopted by the United Nations Assembly nine months ago.
§ Mr. Selwyn LloydTwo thousand, two hundred and sixty persons have so far been evacuated.
§ Mr. Noel-BakerAs there are 12,000 to be evacuated, do the Government regard this as satisfactory progress towards the fulfilment of the pledge which was given a year ago that these men would be brought out of Burma?
§ Mr. LloydHaving regard to the difficulties which have attended this matter, any progress at all is to some extent satisfactory. After a good deal of discussion we have at least made a beginning on the problem. I certainly do not regard it by any means as the end of the story, and we think that current negotiations will result in a good many more people going.
§ Mr. WyattIs the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that Chiang Kai-shek is still supplying these troops 1435 with arms from Formosa? Will he represent to the United States that it is contrary to the spirit of the United Nations' resolution to continue to supply Chiang Kai-shek with American arms, which he passes on to his troops in Burma, for they are far more up-to-date than the arms used by the unfortunate Burmese Government in trying to round up the Chinese?
§ Mr. LloydMore than 2,000 people have gone, and there are indications that some more will go. It is much better if we can achieve this result by arrangement between the parties instead of delivering ultimata of any sort to our friends.
§ Mr. DonnellyIs the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that the progress is even worse than that indicated by the figures he has given? The 2,000 which he has mentioned apparently included many people who were not troops at all, but were dressed up for the purpose of putting a good face on the evacuation which was taking place. Can the right hon. and learned Gentleman give us a slightly more hopeful answer than he has already given about what he will do in the future?
§ Mr. LloydWe managed to get out 2,260, of whom 455 were male officers, 1,402 male other ranks, 68 women officers and other ranks and about 335 in the category of dependants. There is a chance of getting another large batch out, and it is towards the success of these efforts that we are working at the present time.
§ Mr. Noel-BakerWill the right hon. and learned Gentleman tell us that unless there is a continuance of this movement, which, after all, began in November, he will press the United States Government on the point about the arms supply mentioned by my hon. Friend?
§ Mr. LloydI will certainly guarantee that we will bring such pressure as we can to bear on all parties concerned if the movement does not continue. In the debates in the United Nations before 1436 Christmas we gave our strong support to the Burmese Government on the matter and said that we would support them in bringing the matter back to the United Nations if satisfactory progress was not made. We are quite clearly on record on that point.