HC Deb 01 April 1968 vol 762 cc3-5
4. Mr. G. Campbell

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what negotiations have taken place between Her Her Majesty's Government and Argentina about the Falkland Islands; and if he will make a statement.

49. Sir F. Bennett

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what negotiations have taken place between the United Kingdom and the Argentine on the future of the Falkland Islands; and whether he will make a statement.

51. Mr. James Davidson

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what consultations he has had with the Government of the Argentine regarding the future status of the Falkland Islands.

57. Mr. Fisher

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what negotiations are taking place with the Government of the Argentine concerning the future of the Falkland Islands; and if he will make a statement.

58. Mr. Scott-Hopkins

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the present state of negotiations with the Argentine concerning the Falkland Islands; and if he will make a statement.

61. Mr. Braine

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how far the future of the Falkland Islands is under discussion in the negotiations between Her Majesty's Government and the Argentine Government; whether he will give an assurance that there will be no change in the sovereignty of this British territory without the full approval of its inhabitants; what consultations there have been with representative organisations in the Falkland Islands; and whether he will make a statement.

63. Mr. Longden

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the object of the present negotiations between this country and the Argentine Republic concerning the Falkland Islands.

67. Sir Knox Cunningham

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a further statement with regard to his negotiations with the Government of the Argentine on the question of the Falkland Islands.

The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Michael Stewart)

I have nothing to add to what I said in the House on 27th March about the Anglo-Argentine talks on the Falkland Islands.—[Vol. 761, cols. 1458–67.]

Mr. Campbell

As that statement was somewhat vague, will the right hon. Gentleman now give an assurance that the sovereignty of the Falklands will not be transferred to any other country unless a majority of the islanders favour such a course, and have been given a proper opportunity to express their views?

Mr. Stewart

What I said was not vague at all. I said exactly what the hon. Gentleman has just said, and I repeat it now.

Mr. Davidson

Will the right hon. Gentleman say what were the exact intentions of the Argentine Government, and what were their demands?

Mr. Stewart

I think I explained to the House that Argentina raised the question of the transfer of sovereignty. Our object in the talks has been both to preserve the interests of the islanders, and to see that for the future they can live on good terms with their large neighbour.

Mr. Fisher

I hope that I heard the right hon. Gentleman aright. Will he emphasise, with unambiguous clarity, that in this matter we rest on the principle of self-determination for the islanders?

Mr. Stewart

I really have been quite unambiguous about this already. I said in the House that one, though only one, of the conditions in which we could consider a transfer of sovereignty was that it was clear to us that the islanders themselves regarded the conditions as satisfactory.

Mr. Braine

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that part of the difficulty springs from the fact that the negotiations were conducted in secrecy, without the islanders knowing anything at all about them? Will he say whether he envisages steps being taken at an early stage to ascertain the wishes of the islanders, already expressed at the United Nations, by means of a referendum?

Mr. Stewart

That would not arise unless an agreement were reached which was satisfactory in other respects. I trade that clear to the House. If no agreement envisaging transfer of sovereignty at all were reached, this question would not arise, but the wishes of the islanders are an absolute condition. With regard to the secrecy of the talks, I think the hon. Gentleman understands that conversations of this kind are regularly conducted confidentially, and I explained to the House the steps that we had taken to inform the Governor and authorise him to inform the Executive Council.

Mr. Longden

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that his answer this afternoon will bring great relief to the Falkland Islanders, and that we are grateful to him for that?

Mr. Stewart

I am obliged to the hon. Member for that remark. I may fairly say, however, that I have said nothing in the House this afternoon that I did not say earlier.

Sir Knox Cunningham

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that his refusal to use clear and specific words has caused grave and justifiable disquiet? Is he now saying that there will be no transfer of sovereignty of the Falkland Islands with-out the consent of the inhabitants?

Mr. Stewart

I said that a few moments ago. The statement that this has caused grave the disquiet is not correct. Mr. Barton, a member of the Executive Council who has been over here recently, described my statement as very satisfactory.

Mr. Whitaker

Nevertheless, will my right hon. Friend have no objection if he thought it helpful for there to be a referendum in the Falkland Islands under United Nations supervision to establish what the wishes of the inhabitants are?

Mr. Stewart

I have said that I do not think that this question arises at present—nor should I want to lay down precisely what mechanisms we might adopt in a situation that has not yet arisen.