§ 41. Mr. Biggs-Davisonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what instructions were given to the British representative on Her Majesty's Government's policy at the World Health Organisation meeting at Brazzaville to the resolution denying aid to Portugal's overseas territories.
§ Mr. MulleyThe United Kingdom delegate was the Minister of Health of Swaziland. We are opposed to the introduction of political issues into the proceedings of technical United Nations meetings. The Minister was therefore instructed not to take part in such debates and accordingly abstained from voting on a resolution which supported a 1966 resolution of the World Health Assembly suspending technical assistance to Portugal.
§ Mr. Biggs-DavisonIs not the introduction of ideological feuds into these specialised agencies to be deplored? Is not this case particularly unfortunate, since the W.H.O. has expressed its admiration of Portugal's work in Africa against leprosy and sleeping sickness?
§ Mr. MulleyIt was because we thought it undesirable to have political debates in technical conferences designed to help the people in the region concerned that we instructed our delegate not to take part in those proceedings.