§ 31. Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will now move to bring the question of the War in Vietnam before the Special General Assembly of the United Nations now sitting.
§ Mr. George BrownNo, Sir. As I told the House on 27th February, the North Vietnamese, supported by their allies, refuse to accept that the United Nations has any positive rôle to play in solving the Vietnamese conflict. Until this attitude changes I see no scope for fruitful discussion in the United Nations. —[Vol. 742, c. 78–79.]
§ Mr. HooleyDoes not my right hon. Friend agree that the war in Vietnam is a much greater threat to the peace of the world even than the recent unfortunate events in the Middle East? Would not he also agree that, under the United Nations Charter, the U.N. has the right to discuss any threat to the peace from any quarter, irrespective of the attitude of an interested party?
§ Mr. BrownYes, Sir, but one has to consider where we should get in the absence of interested parties. I have no doubt that we could have a discussion in the United Nations, but whether it would lead us anywhere nearer a reasonable end to the conflict is another matter. Frankly, in the face of the North Vietnamese refusal—which they made clear to U Thant on 14th March—to accept that the United Nations has any rôle to play, I do not see any point at the moment in trying to put this matter into that forum.
§ Mr. WinnickIs my right hon. Friend aware that there is a great deal of concern in this country that the Americans may begin a land invasion of North Vietnam? Will he use every possible pressure on the Americans to de-escalate the war they are waging in South-East Asia?
§ Mr. BrownThat is another question, but I repeat to my hon. Friend what I have said to him before—that I wish that he would direct his attention to de-escalating the war on the other side as well.