§ 39. Mr. Longdenasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a progress report about the activities of the United Nations Committee of 24.
§ Mr. William RodgersThe Committee of 24 concluded its African tour on the 21st of June and returned to New York, where it is due to meet early in August.
Meetings were held in Kinshasa, Kitwe and Dar-es-Salaam. Apart from hearing petitioners from the various nationalist movements of Southern Africa, the Committee adopted five resolutions.
The proposed visits to Baghdad and Damascus did not take place, because of tie Middle East situation.
§ Mr. LongdenOught we to continue to give countenance to this expensive and counter-productive Committee, and would not some of the gentlemen who serve on it be better employed in bringing freedom to their own countries?
§ Mr. RodgersAs far as the policy of the Government is concerned, we have made it clear that we intend to cooperate with the Committee as far as we can to ensure that our own policies are adequately explained and, where necessary, defended.