§ 21. Mr. Brockwayasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how the British delegation voted in the General Assembly of the United Nations on the resolution calling upon the United Kingdom Government not to accede to the request of the minority Government of Southern Rhodesia for independence until majority rule based on adult suffrage is established and inviting it to hold without delay a constitutional conference in which all political parties 9 would take part; which nations voted for the resolution; which voted against", and which abstained.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerThe United Kingdom did not participate in the vote on the resolution in question. The resolution was adopted by 73 votes to 2, with 19 abstentions. As the list of nations voting is a long one, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. BrockwayWhile thanking the Foreign Secretary for that reply, may I ask whether he will consider very carefully, now that he has become Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, the new attitude towards these questions in the United Nations? Is it not the case that, while ten or twelve years ago one could say that one would not participate in a vote because that would be to intervene in another territory, the climate of the world today is such that we must declare an opinion in the United Nations on these great issues?
§ Mr. ButlerUnited Kingdom action is based on the belief that the United Nations is not competent to pass resolutions about the internal affairs of Southern Rhodesia.
§ Mr. WallWould not my right hon. Friend agree that such a resolution would destroy the agreement reached at the Victoria Falls Conference; and that, constitutionally, this Government can in no way interfere with the present Constitution of Southern Rhodesia?
§ Mr. ButlerYes, Sir. That represents the position.
§ Following is the list:
| The following 73 nations voted for the resolution: | |
| Hungary. | Morocco. |
| India. | Nepal. |
| Indonesia. | Niger. |
| Iran. | Nigeria. |
| Iraq. | Pakistan. |
| Israel | Panama. |
| Jamaica. | Ghana. |
| Jordan. | Peru. |
| Kuwait. | Philippines. |
| Laos. | Poland. |
| Lebanon. | Romania. |
| Liberia. | Rwanda. |
| Libya. | Saudi Arabia. |
| Madagascar. | Somalia. |
| Malaysia. | Sudan. |
| Mali. | Syria. |
| Mexico. | Tanganyika. |
| Mongolia. | Thailand. |
§ The following two nations voted against the resolution:
| Portugal. | South Africa. |
§ The following 19 nations abstained from voting on the resolution:
| Iceland. | U.S.A. |
| Italy. | Australia. |
| Japan. | Austria. |
| Luxembourg. | Belgium. |
| Netherlands. | Canada. |
| New Zealand. | Denmark. |
| Norway. | Finland. |
| Spain. | France. |
| Sweden. | Greece. |
| Turkey. |