RHODESIA

HC Deb 09 February 1967 vol 740 cc1818-20

Q1 Mr. Evelyn King

asked the Prime Minister if, in the interests of a peaceable settlement in the Rhodesian dispute, he will now seek the services of a mediator.

The Prime Minister (Mr. Harold Wilson)

No, Sir. As I said on 8th December in answer to a Question by the hon. Member, such suggestions have been rejected by Rhodesian leaders in the past. There is nothing to indicate that a mediator could at present assist in securing a return to legal government.—[Vol. 737, c. 1566.]

Mr. King

Now that the Constitution has been agreed, is it not a fact that almost the sole obstacle is a mistrust felt by the Prime Minister for Mr. Smith, and the distrust felt by the whole Rhodesian people for the Prime Minister? I am not concerned whose fault that may be, but, in such circumstances would not the good offices of a third party be useful?

The Prime Minister

The whole trouble is that when argreement was reached on the "Tiger" and could have been implemented, Mr. Smith was not in a position to deliver because of the extremists in his "government." I do not see that a mediator could do more, unless someone could find a mediator to mediate between Mr. Smith and his extremists.

Mr. Paget

Now that the matter is in the hands of the Security Council, are we in any position to appoint a mediator?

The Prime Minister

Yes, Sir. We would certainly be in a position to attempt to find a solution if we were dealing with people in Rhodesia with any power to deliver. When one gets, as one does, through the Rhodesian Press under censorship, and through their television and radio, such a fantastically inaccurate account of what happened on "Tiger"—complete denial of things Mr. Smith said, and he must know that to be so—it is no wonder the Rhodesian people are in the state of confusion apparently shared by hon. Members opposite.

Mr. Maudling

Is the Prime Minister closing the door permanently to the idea of a mediator? That may not be practicable at the moment, but at some time or other this problem must be solved. Is it wise to close the door to any solution that might be of advantage?

The Prime Minister

I am not closing the door permanently. The Answer I gave was that "There is nothing to indicate that a mediator could at present Assist…" The phrase "at present" suggests that there could be other circumstances. But Mr. Smith rejected every suggestion for a mediator—a Commonwealth mission, the Canadian Prime Minister and others—last year, and there is nothing at present to suggest that a mediator could help.

Mr. Woodburn

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the right hon. Member for Barnet (Mr. Maudling) and numbers of his colleagues have already been in Rhodesia trying to mediate? Are they not the best people to say whether mediation is possible?

The Prime Minister

I know for a fact that when the right hon. Gentleman the Deputy Leader of the Opposition was there what he did behind the scenes and what he said were aimed at trying to get a solution, and indeed it was a solution which could have been very close to that which we reached on "Tiger". He would know the difficulties, if Mr. Smith is overborne by his extremists, of any kind of mediation by himself or anyone else.

Q4. Mr. Sandys

asked the Prime Minister whether he will make a further statement about Rhodesia.

The Prime Minister

I have nothing to add to the Answers I gave to Questions on this subject on the 2nd of February.—[Vol. 740, c. 762]

Mr. Sandys

Does not the right hon. Gentleman realise that, even if it means once more eating his words, he will sooner or later be obliged to start talks again with the de facto Government in Salisbury and that the longer he waits the more difficult and the more humiliating it will be for him?

The Prime Minister

The right hon. Gentleman will recognize—and there was no question of eating words—the very real effort we made on H.M.S. "Tiger" to get a settlement. Unfortunately, that settlement was not carried through because there are people in the Rhodesian regime who did not allow it to go through. If anyone is going to eat words, I am afraid that having to eat the words he uttered in Trafalgar Square will give the right hon. Gentleman a very chronic form of indigestion.