§ The Secretary of State for the Colonies (Mr. Alan Lennox-Boyd)I regret to inform the House that Her Majesty's Government have felt obliged to withdraw recognition from Sultan Ali of Lahej. We have come to the conclusion that the Sultan has for a considerable time been following a course of action incompatible with the Treaties between him and Her Majesty's Government.
The House will remember that on 1st May I reported the action which the Governor of Aden had taken to control the activities of the Jifri brothers, in Lahej. This action had to be taken because, notwithstanding his obligations under the Treaties, the Sultan failed to co-operate with the Governor in the control of their activities, as the Governor had urged him to do.
In addition, Her Majesty's Government are convinced that the Sultan has had foreign political contacts, without the prior knowledege or sanction of Her Majesty's Government, and that, in all the circumstances, he must have had advance knowledge of, and connived at, the recent defection to the Yemen of the commandant of the Lahej State forces together with a part of those forces.
The Governor and I had hoped to confront the Sultan in person with these grave matters. The Sultan, however, left London last week for Italy. Accordingly, the Governor, with my approval, conveyed to the Sultan formal advice that he should return to this country at once for an interview. He failed to comply with this advice. He has, therefore, been informed, through Her Majesty's Consul-General in Milan, of Her Majesty's Government's decision. It has also been necessary to inform him that he cannot be permitted, at any rate for the present, to return to Lahej or to Aden Colony or to any part of the Aden Protectorate.
589 Her Majesty's Government deeply regret that they should have been compelled to take this decision.
Mr. Creech JonesWe all regret the necessity of deposing the Sultan, but none of us can condone any violation of treaties, nor can we condone the intrigues that have been causing so much anxiety in that part of the world. I think that it would be well for us to say, right away, that we must, as a nation, honour our treaty obligations and, likewise, that treaties are of little value unless they are honoured by those who enter into them with us. Therefore, while it is a regrettable necesisty, none the less I feel that the Government have taken the only possible action.
Would the Secretary of State tell us whether this ban is likely to be of a permanent character? What is the position of the Treaties now that the Sultan will no longer officiate? Will the right hon. Gentleman also say whether the decision now taken is likely to involve the Sultan himself being deposed from his office?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydI am very grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for what he has said, and I agree absolutely with him. The position is that the withdrawal of recognition does not affect the tenure of office of Sultan Ali of Lahej, but the fact that recognition is withdrawn, and that he is now excluded, clearly makes it impossible for him to exercise his functions. It will, therefore, now be for the Counsellors of Lahej State to consider the situation in accordance with Lahej constitutional procedures.
As to the length of time that the ban on the Sultan's entry into the Protectorate or the Colony continues, I can say nothing further at this stage.
§ Mr. GrimondCan the Colonial Secretary tell us what the position in the Sultanate now is? There has been, I understand, a considerable defection to the Yemen, with a good deal of money. Is there peace in the Sultanate now?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydWe must get this into perspective. The number who went over with the commandant was about 140, and the sum of money involved about £10,000. The situation is calm in Lahej State.
§ Mr. BrockwayIn view of the very serious repercussions there may be from this action, not only in Aden, the Protectorate and the Yemen Territory but in the Arab world, would the Colonial Secretary turn his mind to the constructive way of seeking the aid of the United Nations to resolve this problem, particularly as to the frontiers between the Protectorate and the Yemen Territory?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydThe action that I have just announced has nothing whatever to do with the frontiers, but is a domestic matter in the Aden Protectorate itself.