§ 28. Mr. Sorensenasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what form of relations Her Majesty's Government is maintaining with the Yemeni Government; whether a British charge d'affaires is resident in territory under Royalist control; what knowledge he has of the present condition and usage of the former British Legation in Taiz; and if the United Nations Yemen Observation Mission has reported on the extent to which Egyptian troops have been withdrawn.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerDiplomatic relations with the Yemen Government are maintained through the Yemeni Legation in London; there is no British representative resident in territory under Royalist control.
24 Our former Legation building in Taiz, which Her Majesty's Government did not own, was taken over by the Yemeni Republican authorities on 6th November after our remaining possessions there had been removed to the safe keeping of the United States Embassy.
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, in two reports dated 4th September and 28th October to the Security Council, has referred to reports he has received from the United Nations Yemen Observation Mission on United Arab Republic troop withdrawals. Both reports are in the Library of the House.
§ Mr. SorensenCan the right hon. Gentleman give any indication of the number of Egyptian troops who have been withdrawn and the number that remain? Can he give the proportions if he cannot give the actual number? Does his Answer mean that Her Majesty's Government recognise the Royalist regime? What efforts have been made to discover to what extent the Royalists control the Yemen as distinct from the Republicans?
§ Mr. ButlerIn the six weeks' period from the beginning of September, the Observers certified withdrawals of 4,000 U.A.R. troops and replacements of 1,300. I would say from recent reports that the total left may be as high as 28,000. I have no observations to make on the hon. Gentleman's further point.
§ Sir J. EdenWhy have the Government no representation with the Royalists? What ground have we for withdrawing our support from them? Is it not in British interests that the Egyptians should be withdrawn from the Yemen altogether?
§ Mr. ButlerWe have contact with the Royalists through the Yemeni Legation in London, and for physical reasons that is regarded as the best practice.
§ Mr. SorensenAre we now in touch with the legation in London and can the right hon. Gentleman say whether it retains an ambassador or a charge d'affaires?
§ Mr. ButlerI should have to investigate that.