HC Deb 25 July 1963 vol 681 cc1775-7
Q7. Mrs. Castle

asked the Prime Minister whether he will consult President Kennedy with a view to co-ordinating Anglo-American policy on the export of arms to South Africa.

The Prime Minister

Her Majesty's Government are naturally in close touch with the United States Government on all the issues raised by the forthcoming discussion in the Security Council on apartheid.

Mrs. Castle

Is it not a fact that the United States Government believe that the time has now come to impose, through the United Nations, an embargo on the export of arms to South Africa? Since the United Kingdom is the head and centre of a multi-racial Commonwealth, and since certain members of the Commonwealth, such as Mr. Nyerere, the President of Tanganyika, are pressing our Government to support such an embargo, will the Prime Minister give a guarantee that our delegate in the Security Council will, in the next few days, vote for an embargo on the export of arms to South Africa?

The Prime Minister

No, Sir. What we have first to do is to see the resolution, and we have not seen the draft of it yet.

Mr. More

Will my right hon. Friend also consult Mr. Khrushchev with a view to co-ordinating Anglo-Russian policy on the export of arms to Cuba?

The Prime Minister

The more all these things are co-ordinated the better.

Mr. H. Wilson

The Question relates to South Africa—[Interruption.]—we could always have a Question on Cuba. Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether, in the matter of the present controls on exports to South Africa, Her Majesty's Government are working entirely on the same basis of control as the United States? Secondly, will he tell us what representations he has had from heads of Commonwealth Governments on this question?

The Prime Minister

Neither of those supplementary questions arises from the Question on the Order Paper, which asks whether we will consult President Kennedy on co-ordinating Anglo-American policy. That is what we are doing.

Mr. Wilson

Since the Question asks whether the Prime Minister will consult President Kennedy with a view to co-ordinating Anglo-American policy, does not the Prime Minister think it relevant to ask him whether our policy is the same as that of America on the control of the export of arms to South Africa; and will he now answer the Question?

The Prime Minister

No, Sir. We are asked to co-ordinate our future policy.