HC Deb 13 December 1965 vol 722 cc904-5
29. Mr. G. Campbell

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what was the reason for the abstentions of the United Kingdom in votes at the United Nations on 23rd November on a resolution adopted by the Security Council asking states to refrain from offering Portugal assistance in connection with her colonial policy.

Mr. George Thomson

The United Kingdom representative abstained on the Security Council resolution of 23rd November on the Portuguese territories because it contained certain provisions which Her Majestys' Government could not accept.

Mr. Campbell

Do not these abstentions, and similar ones during the past year, make nonsense of the jibe on page 22 of the Labour Party's manifesto that Britain was to be found in the ranks of abstentionists on such issues at the United Nations?

Mr. Thomson

No. I do not think so. I think that if the hon. Gentleman examines the record of voting by the present Government at the United Nations during the last 14 months he will find that over the whole range of the activities the Government have been very much more forthright and more decisive than their predecessors. In this particular case the Government's disagreement with Portuguese policy has been made clear repeatedly. We abstained on this matter because some parts of the resolution would have supported the demand for the immediate granting of independence to overseas territories, and since we resist this kind of demand in respect of our own territories we were justified in abstaining on this.

Lady Tweedsmuir

On the question of abstaining from voting for the resolution which referred to internal policies of Colonial Territories, would the Minister of State explain further how it is that successive Governments, including his own, have abstained on questions about Rhodesia, but after U.D.I. they took part in voting on them? Is it not exactly the same question over independence of Portuguese colonies—

Mr. Speaker

Order. We cannot discuss Rhodesia on a Question about Portugal.

Mr. Thomson

The illegal declaration of independence in Rhodesia created a completely new situation, and we had to act accordingly.

Mr. Campbell

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply to my supplementary question, I give notice that I shall raise the matter at the earliest possible moment.