§ Q.8. Mr. Eldon Griffithsasked the Prime Minister if he will publish the message he received in Salisbury from the Archbishop of Canterbury; and what reply he has sent.
§ The Prime MinisterYes, Sir. I have the Archbishop's permission to publish his message and I will circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT. A reply was neither expected nor sent.
§ Mr. GriffithsIn view of the fact that the present situation in Rhodesia is most delicate, even dangerously poised, may I thank the Prime Minister for that reply, and ask him if he is aware that many hon. Members will have great pleasure in studying the text of this message before making any premature and rash statements about it?
§ The Prime MinisterI think that part of this message has received much more publicity than the rest of it. The decision of the British Council of Churches and, indeed, the Archbishop's statement on all other questions, except the controversial one, were highly relevant and highly pointed to the discussions which I was having last week. On the question of the use of force, the Archbishop must, of course, be free to make his own statements, but I have made it clear that Her Majesty's Government do not believe that this constitutional problem can be settled by the use of military force.
§ Mr. OgdenIs the Prime Minister aware that the fact that no reply was sent to the message from His Grace was interpreted in certain quarters as a deliberate snub of that message, and may we have an assurance that that was not intended?
§ The Prime MinisterI am sure that it was not so interpreted and I am sure that anyone who knew the facts realised 1233 that we were so busy in Rhodesia, my right hon. Friend and I, that there would not have been time for us to have dealt with all the letters which were received—a large number of them indeed—no matter how distinguished the person or persons who sent them. There was certainly no snub intended. There just was not time to deal with it, and I have explained our position.
§ Following is the information:
§ TEXT A PERSONAL MESSAGE DATED 27TH OCTOBER, 1965, SENT BY THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY TO THE PRIME MINISTER IN SALISBURY, RHODESIA.
§ The British Council of Churches meeting in Aberdeen at the moment of your visit to Rhodesia ardently supports you in your efforts towards reconciliation and a new constitutional settlement. We hope your discussions may be continued and enlarged in harmony with Her Majesty's Government's five principles and without undue delay in applying them. If notwithstanding all efforts there should come a breakdown and if you and your Government should judge it necessary to use force to sustain our country's obligations I am sure a great body of Christian opinion would support you.