HC Deb 12 April 1961 vol 638 cc232-4
29. Mr. Brockway

asked the Lord Privy Seal how the United Kingdom delegation at the United Nations voted on the Afro-Asian resolution condemning apartheid in the Union of South Africa.

Mr. Heath

There are two draft resolutions, one mainly African in sponsor-Ship, the other Asian. In the vote in Committee, the United Kingdom delegation voted against the former, but in favour of the latter. Neither has yet been voted upon by the United Nations General Assembly.

Mr. Brockway

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of the relief which many Members of the House feel that at last the vote representing the United Kingdom in the United Nations has gone against apartheid? Will he explain why, in accepting the principle of being opposed to apartheid, the United Kingdom delegation did not vote in favour of the operative clauses of the resolution?

Mr. Heath

The view of Her Majesty's Government about apartheid as a policy, which is I think the view of the people of this country, has always been well known. The reasons for the vote of the United Kingdom delegation at the United Nations were fully explained by my hon. Friend the Member for Winchester (Mr. Smithers) in his speech about it. The reason why we did not support the operative paragraphs of the African resolution was that we do not believe that sanctions are applicable in this case.

Mr. Eden

Can my right hon. Friend say how far this vote departed from what has always been our strong position in this matter, namely, that we shall not interfere in the internal affairs of any country? Can he say why it is now possible for Her Majesty's delegate to vote in this way when hitherto we have hotly defended our refusal to do so?

Mr. Heath

This signifies no change in our belief in the importance of Article 2 (7) of the United Nations Charter concerning interference in the internal affairs of other countries. What the Government and, I think, the House felt—it was shown during the debate on the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference—was that the Conference had shown that apartheid had international reactions, and that was a justification for our vote.

Mr. S. Silverman

While deprecating the right hon. Gentleman's undue modesty in disclaiming any improvement in the behaviour of the delegation at the United Nations, may I ask him whether he will assure the House that our conduct in approving the principle but refusing to do anything about the practice was not influenced by any fear of prejudicing current negotiations with General Franco?

Mr. Heath

There are no current negotiations with General Franco, the head of the Spanish State, and I do not think the hon. Gentleman does any credit to himself by exaggerating the position which I described in answer to Questions concerning the visit by my noble Friend.

Sir H. Legge-Bourke

Will my right hon. Friend say whether the decision to vote as we did was calculated to encourage the Union of South Africa either to stay in or to go out of the United Nations?

Mr. Heath

Of course, we hope that the Union of South Africa will remain in the United Nations.

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