§ Q4. Mr. Molloyasked the Prime Minister if he will now initiate a sanctions conference of both Commonwealth and other involved world powers, to make sanctions against the illegal régime of Rhodesia effective, and so encourage the loyal people of that territory, and prevent an ultimate African blood bath.
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir, Adequate arrangements already exist through the Commonwealth Sanctions Committee and the United Nations for international consideration of these matters.
§ Mr. MolloyWould my right hon. Friend agree that there ought now to be a more intensive effort to implement sanctions thoroughly by other nations outside the Commonwealth who are involved? Would he also agree that such action ought to be directed not only to bringing down the rebel Smith régime, but to encouraging those liberal forces in Rhodesia who want to see legality and loyalty to the Crown established?
§ The Prime MinisterI have on a number of occasions reported to the House— 1088 so has my right hon. Friend—about measures we are taking to deal with reported breaches of sanctions arrangements by other countries. I have reported in particular on the present state of the work of the Commonwealth Sanctions Committee, which has reported about some of these breaches and what ought to be done about them.
§ Mr. PeytonWhatever the Prime Minister's personal view, or that of anyone else, may be of Mr. Smith, does it not strike him as a little odd that when he has abandoned on behalf of the country its world rôle, he should be pursuing this police task against Rhodesia alone?
§ The Prime MinisterIt obviously has not occurred to the hon. Member that this House is responsible for Rhodesia and all of us have said, at least the leaders of all parties have said, that we will not abandon that responsibility until we have a settlement in Rhodesia which fulfils the principles that all of us adhere to.
§ Mr. BellengerWould not my right hon. Friend recognise that the African blood bath is occurring now in the northern part of Africa and Her Majesty's Government are stoking it up with the supply of arms to the indigenous population?
§ Sir G. NabarroOn both sides too.
§ The Prime MinisterI think that a very reprehensible comment to make. [HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."] I hope that no one in this House—[Interruption.] I hope no one in this House—and we have had pressure in different parts of the House to supply arms to both sides—will associate themselves with the phrase that we are stoking up a blood bath. We have done everything in our power to end the fighting in Nigeria, including trying to discourage other countries from getting involved in supporting secession in that country.
§ Sir G. NabarroTalking of blood baths, why does the Prime Minister continue to consent to Britain supplying arms to both sides in Nigeria?
§ The Prime MinisterWe are not supplying arms to both sides in Nigeria. The hon. Member, perhaps for the first time, has got his facts totally wrong.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisHas my right hon. Friend been able to ascertain why the 1089 Rhodesian Tobacco Traders Association's report was censored by the Smith régime on 4th January? May this be because Rhodesian exports have been doing less well than some hon. Members opposite think? Can my right hon. Friend also say why the illegal régime censored Her Majesty's Christmas message to the Governor?
§ The Prime MinisterMy hon. Friend will realise that I am not responsible for the exercise of censorship in Rhodesia. The fact is that they have not only censored information about tobacco but they did everything in their power last week o stop the important statement by Lord, Alport getting through to Rhodesia. This shows the lengths to which they will go in exercising their censorship. It is clear that tobacco sanctions are biting a great deal harder than hon. Members opposite are prepared to admit.
Earl of DalkeithIs it not about time that the Prime Minister tried to explain the extraordinary inconsistency of his attitude to minority rule, whereby he condemns it in Rhodesia, condones it in some Commonwealth countries and behind the Iron Curtain and is positively revelling in it in this country?
§ The Prime MinisterThe answer is that we are responsible for the situation in Rhodesia and no Government in this country since the very beginning of this century has conferred self-government except on the basis of majority rule. [HON. MEMBERS: "Aden?"] Hon. Members opposite are wrong in suggesting that about Aden. The previous Government and ourselves were prepared in legal discussion with the then legal Government of Rhodesia to offer them something short of majority rule. The fact that they rejected that is the reason why Rhodesia has got into this situation.