§ 1. Mr. Sandysasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs what information he has received from the British High Commissioner in Lusaka about the camps in Zambia which are being used as bases for the dispatch of armed terrorists into Rhodesia; and what protests have been made to the Zambian Government.
§ The Secretary of State of Common-wealth Affairs (Mr. George Thomson)I have nothing to add to the reply given 1276 to the hon. Member for Chigwell (Mr. Biggs-Davison) on 30th January.
§ Mr. SandysThat is a most inadequate reply. How much longer are the British Government going to tolerate the organised infiltration of murderers and saboteurs into a British territory of which they claim to be the legal Government? Why do not the Government warn the Zambian Government that unless this stops Britain will stop all further financial aid immediately?
§ Mr. ThomsonThe British Government have made it quite clear to the Zambian Government that they deplore all terrorism and violence from whatever quarter they come. We feel this is not the right way to a solution for Rhodesia and to avoid many grave dangers in Southern Africa as a whole. We have made absolutely clear to the Zambian Government what our position is, but if the right hon. Gentleman wants to end guerilla activity of this kind he should use his influence with Mr. Smith to get him to end the rebellion.
§ Mr. CrawshawIs my right hon. Friend aware that the Africans never had any confidence in the ability of the Opposition to solve this problem and, because of the time we have taken, they have lost faith in our ability to solve it? Will he press on with every form of sanctions that is possible? Otherwise, he will have the blood bath which we on this side of the House have been predicting for the last two or three years.
§ Mr. ThomsonYes, Sir. We believe the use of sanctions is the right way to bring peaceful pressures to produce a solution, but we always made it clear to Mr. Smith before I.D.I. that if he took that disastrous action one of the results would be an increase in violence on the part of African Nationalists who would no longer have a constitutional method of achieving political progress.
§ Mr. WallWill the right hon. Gentleman give an undertaking that this important matter will be discussed with President Kaunda when he visits this country?
§ Mr. ThomsonThese kind of talks between Heads of Government are confidential, but I have no doubt that a whole range of problems relating to Southern Africa are bound to be discussed.