HC Deb 12 February 1958 vol 582 cc379-83
38. Mr. Brockway

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what Governments voted in the recent General Assembly of the United Nations with the United Kingdom in the minority of six against the 59 Governments which supported a resolution deploring that South Africa had not responded to United Nations' requests to modify its policies of racial discrimination.

Commander Noble

The delegations of Australia, Belgium, France, Luxembourg and Portugal, as well as the United Kingdom, voted against the adoption of this resolution.

Mr. Brockway

Is not this a very insignificant minority with which Britain should be associated in the United Nations against an overwhelming majority of 59? Is not it desirable that this country should make it clear that we stand against this obnoxious practice of apartheid in South Africa?

Commander Noble

As the hon. Member probably knows quite well, the attitude of Her Majesty's Government on this matter rests entirely on our strong and consistent views of the importance of Article 2 (7) of the Charter. Our representatives at the United Nations have always refrained from expressing any view on the merits or otherwise of the racial policies of the Government of the Union of South Africa.

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