HC Deb 19 February 1968 vol 759 cc34-6
80. Mr. Ronald Bell

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what progress he has made in obtaining the release of the British aircraft which has now been held by the Algerian Government for six months.

The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr. William Rodgers)

The aircraft is still detained. We are, however, in close touch with the Algerian authorities on this matter, and do not expect that the release of the aircraft will be long delayed.

Mr. Bell

Would the hon. Gentleman bear in mind that the Foreign Office has been in close touch with the Algerian Government now for seven months and that this is a very long time for a British aircraft to be unjustifiably detained in a foreign country? What specific efforts has his right hon. Friend in mind?

Mr. Rodgers

I agree with the hon. Gentleman that this is a long time, and I think that every hon. Member will regret it. The problem has not been an easy one, and it is not one which can necessarily be solved by the usual and conventional methods. We take the view that the improvement in relations between ourselves and Algeria will provide an atmosphere in which the release will not now be long delayed.

Mr. Biggs-Davison

What explanation or excuse do the Algerian authorities offer for this piratical retention of the aircraft? Cannot the Foreign Office be a little more energetic in their efforts to get something done?

Mr. Rodgers

I think that the object is to ensure as soon as we possibly can that the aircraft is released. The House must recognise that being energetic in this is not a virtue; in fact, it could be other than productive. I fully understand the concern of the House that the aircraft has been detained too long. I simply ask for patience a little longer because we believe that an atmosphere is developing in which the aircraft will be released.

Mr. Maudling

The hon. Gentleman has not answered the question put by my hon. Friend, which was what excuse or reason did the Algerians give for this action?

Mr. Rodgers

The Algerians took a particular view about the initial circumstances in which the aircraft landed in their country. I am not saying that any reason which they have provided would be accepted by the right hon. Gentleman or the House as being an adequate reason or excuse. There are circumstances—I think that the right hon. Gentleman will understand this—where the actual formula is less important than the circumstances, the suspicions and the attitudes which may exist. What I am saying is that I think that as we move towards more normal relations the atmosphere will be one in which the aircraft will be released, which must surely be the object of the exercise.

Mr. Richard Wood

Cannot the hon. Gentleman say what the reasons were?

Mr. Rodgers

As I have just said, and as the House will know, the Algerian Government at the time the aircraft landed had certain grave suspicions. [HON. MEMBERS: "What were they?"] Since then we have endeavoured to persuade them that such suspicions as they had did not apply either to the aircraft or to the British subjects who were involved. We succeeded in getting the pilots released. I think that this was a considerable achievement. We now want to get the aircraft released as soon as possible. While I fully understand the impatience of hon. Members, I ask them to consider whether loud pronouncements on the part of Ministers will necessarily bring this stage nearer. I do not believe it will.

Mr. G. Campbell

While we do not expect loud pronouncements from the hon. Gentleman, could not he say what the suspicions or allegations of the Algerian Government were?

Mr. Rodgers

It is not for me to read the minds of the Algerian Government and I think that the House, if it considers this matter carefully, will recognise that there are problems which sometimes involve this country where a foreign Government appears to be unreasonable but where no steps are open to us in the middle of the twentieth century which would enable us to achieve our purpose.

Mr. Cronin

Would it not prejudice the negotiations my hon. Friend is conducting to disclose the information which right hon. and hon. Members opposite want? Will he also continue to use the patience and good sense he has displayed so far instead of behaving like a bull in a china shop, as they would have him do?

Mr. Rodgers

I thank my hon. Friend. It is for the House itself to judge whether there is, as I believe, virtue in what he says.

Mr. Bell

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. In view of the unsatisfactory nature of all those replies, I beg to give notice that I shall seek to raise this matter on the Adjournment.