§ Q1. Mr. Winnickasked the Prime Minister what new steps he is considering in conjunction with the other Commonwealth Prime Ministers to try to end the Nigerian civil war.
§ The Prime MinisterI have nothing at present to add to what my right hon. Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary said in the House yesterday.
§ Mr. WinnickIs my right hon. Friend aware that very many of our constituents are so appalled by the suffering in the civil war that they would like to see a firm initiative by the major powers to secure a cease-fire? Will he try to secure agreement if possible with the other major powers, the United Nations, and the O.A.U., to get a Christmas ceasefire plus massive relief operations for the people so desperately in need?
§ The Prime MinisterMy hon. Friend will be aware that one of the purposes of the visit of two members of Her Majesty's Government to Africa was to examine those very possibilities and to co-operate in an initiative to that end. My hon. Friend mentioned the O.A.U. He will know that my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs visited Addis Ababa for discussions with the Emperor of Ethiopia, and he will be aware of the very deep disappointment felt by us all in the House, as well as my our constituents, that so far progress has not been made on the lines we were pressing for. They involved a cease-fire and mounting a massive relief operation during the cease-fire period. This has so far been prevented and frustrated.
§ Dr. John DunwoodyIn view of the certainty of an unprecedented human disaster if the war continues, does not my right hon. Friend agree that he and other 1163 Commonwealth Prime Ministers, when they meet in January would be justified in considering means to achieve a cease-fire which would ordinarily be ruled out of court?
§ The Prime MinisterMy hon. Friend is quite right, and we know of the report which he brought back as a result of his visit to many of the areas affected, where, as he says, even greater dangers exist than we have so far faced. We certainly have very much in mind the question of how far progress could be made at the Commonwealth level, though an African solution is required, and we must not cut across the work of the O.A.U. too much. What we tried to do last week was welcomed by those who were trying to reach the same objectives in the O.A.U.
§ Mr. HeathThere have been reports today that the Federal Government have refused any sort of truce or cease-fire over Christmas. Can the Prime Minister tell us whether there is any substance in the reports? Will he clear up a point about Colonel Ojukwu which was not clear from the debate? I make no complaint about that. Has he refused to have daylight flights, or has he just not answered the invitation?
§ The Prime MinisterOn the first part of the question, I should like to study the situation more and perhaps have a chance to give the right hon. Gentleman the answer later in the week. As he knows, my noble Friend Lord Shepherd is due to land in an hour or two and will be reporting to my right hon. Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary. We shall then know the most up-to-date position of the Federal Government who, to my knowledge, have been extremely co-operative in what we have been trying to achieve. We are studying the latest reports, but my information is that Colonel Ojukwu has not agreed to the daylight flights, still less to the use of the land corridor, which is the only thing now that can solve the problem of the massive shortage of carbohydrates, which presents the main danger.