§ Q1. Mr. Juddasked the Prime Minister if he will submit proposals to the 1165 Commonwealth Prime Minister's Conference for a Commonwealth Defence Pact with Zambia and Tanzania.
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir.
§ Mr. JuddDoes my right hon. Friend agree that the intransigence of the Smith and other racialist régimes in the area leads to increased emphasis on freedom fighting, which exposes Zambia and Tanzania? Is not such a pact therefore essential?
§ The Prime MinisterAs my hon. Friend is aware, and as I told him on 23rd July, these matters were discussed very fully with the President of Zambia when he was here, and we have already offered to arrange for a joint study of Zambia's defence requirements if the Zambian Goverment wish. We made it clear to President Kaunda that we would hope to be able to help him to obtain in Britain all the defence equipment Zambia requires, but I also made it clear to him, and he agreed, that it must be for Zambia to evaluate the danger as he sees it to the independence and integrity of his country, and to decide what priority he would wish to give to strengthening his defence position. We are prepared to help.
§ Rear-Admiral Morgan GilesWill the Prime Minister take the opportunity of the Conference to make representations privately to Zambia and Tanzania that to harbour terrorists and allow them to cross the borders into Rhodesia does not contribute to the cause of peace in Africa?
§ The Prime MinisterThe hon. and gallant Gentleman has perhaps missed some of the statements made on behalf of the Zambian Government, for example. I can speak only about them, because I have not recently met the President of Tanzania, though I hope shortly to do so. Those statements made it clear in the United Nations that Zambia was prepared to have the whole situation opened up to international inspection so that some of the charges made against the Zambian Government could be probed.