§ 28. Mr. Swinglerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what action has been taken by his Department on the complaints made in the eight interim reports so far submitted by the International Commission for Supervision and Control in Vietnam.
§ The Joint Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Robert Allan)The interim reports of the International Commission have been circulated by Her Majesty's Government, or by the Soviet Government, to all the Governments which took part in the Geneva Conference.
§ Mr. SwinglerThe Question asked what action has been taken by the Foreign Office on the series of complaints that have been made in eight interim reports over a number of years. In view of the now quite long catalogue of complaints that the Geneva Agreement has not been carried out in Vietnam and, more specifically, the complaint to which I have drawn his attention in the eighth interim report against the South Vietnam Government, can we know from the Under-Secretary what action the Foreign Secretary has taken about it?
§ Mr. AllanThe only action that we are required to take is to circulate these reports. The hon. Gentleman continually gets this wrong. He does not understand the situation. The Geneva Agreement comprised three cease-fire agreements and six unilateral declarations. There was a final declaration that took note of the Agreement. Her Majesty's Government signed the declaration taking note of the Agreement but assumed no responsibility. They were not a party to any of the provisions of the Agreement, and the whole task of supervising the carrying out of the agreement was left in the hands of the International Commission.
§ Mr. S. SilvermanDoes the hon. Gentleman think that that is a really adequate or satisfactory answer? Are we not now, as we all hope, on the eve 21 of further international discussions that may lead to an agreement? Is it really a good augury for expected meetings of that kind that there can be a series of complaints that the last agreements have been continually broken and that all the Government can say about it is that they acted as a post office?
§ Mr. AllanThat was all the obligation they assumed. There are other Governments that are in the same position.