§ Q5. Mr. Wallasked the Prime Minister if he will now make a further British initiative to solve the Rhodesian problem.
§ The Prime MinisterIf the hon. Member means will Her Majesty's Government now put forward compromise proposals which depart from the Six principles approved by this House, the Answer is "No, Sir". The hon. Member will, however, be aware, following my right hon. Friend's visit to Salisbury last December, that it is for Mr. Smith to reconsider the position he then took up. He will also know that Her Majesty's Government have made it perfectly clear to Mr. Smith that they remain ready to discuss any proposals for a settlement which could honourably be commended to this House.
§ Mr. WallWill the Prime Minister say whether talks or correspondence at official level have continued since the Secretary of State's visit at the end of last year? Can he further say whether he still wants to reach a settlement?
§ The Prime MinisterQuite a lot of stories have been emanating from Salisbury this last weekend. The answer to the first part of the question is that there have been no official contacts or discussions going on since my right hon. Friend's visit, which elucidated that on three vital principles Mr. Smith has moved further away from the "Tiger" settlement.
My right hon. Friend said—and in answer to the second part of the question I confirm it—that it is our desire to secure an honourable settlement which is in full accordance with the principles which the House has laid down. It is, therefore, for any political group in Salisbury to come forward with proposals which represent a move in that direction.
§ Mr. RoebuckIs my right hon. Friend aware of the dismay which is felt because the confidential discussions which Her Majesty's Government have been having with the French Government about the supply of oil to Rhodesia do not appear to have been fruitful? Will he invite the French President to London so that we can have a show-down on this matter?
§ The Prime MinisterThe French President was good enough to invite me to Paris last June, and the matter was raised on that occasion. I think these are matters best pursued through the machinery of the Sanctions Committee set up by the Commonwealth Prime Ministers. All such events are discussed by them.
§ Sir C. OsborneSince sanctions are not succeeding, except in the case of tobacco and sugar, and since moderate opinion in Rhodesia will not negotiate under sanctions, will the Prime Minister consider raising sanctions for a while to see if negotiations cannot be successful, in the same way that his supporters want bombing to cease in Vietnam to give peace a chance there?
§ The Prime MinisterI do not accept the preamble to the hon. Gentleman's question. He will be aware that there could have been a settlement at the time on H.M.S. "Tiger". The discussions then took place against the background of sanctions, and one part of the proposals that we made was that the sanctions would be wound up immediately 1231 if the moment were right. I cannot accept that it was the existence of sanctions which prevented a settlement. Quite the contrary, I should have thought.
§ Mr. JuddWould my right hon. Friend agree that, quite apart from the six principles, it is fundamentally an issue of trust that is at stake, and therefore there is no question of any deal with Smith, and we are still committed to Nibmar?
§ The Prime MinisterThere are great difficulties, and have been, because undertakings which have been given, for example on H.M.S. "Tiger", for example in earlier discussions, have been departed from, under whatever internal Rhodesian pressure one can only speculate about. There is no change in our policy. We have made it clear that if there is a change of attitude on the part of anyone in Rhodesia, as my right hon. Friend said, provided they deal with these questions of cross-voting, the position of the chiefs, and the braking mechanism on which we are insisting, they could be looked at.
§ Mr.Ian LloydDo not the Prime Minister's replies this afternoon to questions on Rhodesia confirm that he and Mr. Smith have for a long time been, and are still, locked in a mutually contradictory and self-sustaining value system which reflects the profound differences between those who preach racial tolerance, and those who are called on to practise it? Is it not time for a new attempt at statesmanship. and will the right hon. Gentleman try?
§ The Prime MinisterThe value system in which I am locked is the value system approved by the House which set out the principles laid down by the previous Government, by my predecessor as Prime Minister, and by the present Government, and I do not feel free to depart from those principles, even if that means being called locked in a value system. The trouble was that when my right hon. Friend went out there in November last a lot of the progress that had been made on H.M.S. "Tiger" seemed to have been lost because of a backward movement on the three vital principles which I have just outlined.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. Mr. Wedgwood Benn—Statement.