27. Mr. R. C. Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what information he has received, as co-Chairman of the Geneva Agreement, about civilian casualties in Saigon as a result of recent Vietcong military activity.
§ Mr. M. StewartI do not receive information of this sort in my capacity as co-Chairman of the Geneva Conference. However, the Vietnamese Ministry of Defence has stated that civilian casualties in the Saigon area from 5th May to 30th June, from both ground attacks and the rocket and mortar attacks, were 612 killed and 4,812 wounded.
Mr. MitchellI am sure that the House will be appalled at those figures. Will my right hon. Friend ask the Soviet co-Chairman to make representations to the North Vietnamese Government to try to stop the indiscriminate rocket attacks against civilians in Saigon?
§ Mr. StewartWhen I was in Moscow I urged the desirability of the North Vietnamese Government being prepared not only to do this sort of thing, but to make some response to the move made by the United States.
§ Mr. Hugh JenkinsIs my right hon. Friend aware that reports from Quakers who are doing amputee work in Saigon are to the effect that 80 per cent. of the amputations are necessary as a result of American attacks, and only 20 per cent. as a result of Vietcong attacks?
§ Mr. StewartI am afraid that it is often difficult to get exact reports, and even if I accept those figures that does not rub out the shocking cruelties practised in Saigon and indeed Son Tra recently.
§ Mr. Eldon GriffithsDoes not the right hon. Gentleman agree that the crucial point is that the Vietcong attacks on the civil population of Saigon have been stepped up at a time when the American bombardment of North Vietnam has been very substantially reduced?
§ Mr. StewartThat appears to be so, and that means that it is not only a matter of cruelty to human beings, but that it is halting the possibility of progress towards peace.
28. Mr. R. C. Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will, with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics as co-Chairman of the Geneva Agreement, undertake joint action to call upon both belligerents in Vietnam to reduce the scale of their military activities, with a view to improving the atmosphere for successful peace talks.
§ 37. Mr. Tinnasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what initiative he now proposes should be taken by Great Britain and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, as co-Chairmen of the Geneva Agreements, following recent developments, in bringing about a peaceful settlement in Vietnam.
§ Mr. M. StewartAmong the prerequisites for action by the co-Chairmen are a clear understanding of how best we can help a settlement; an equal readiness on the part of us both to act jointly; and a reasonable expectation that the parties to whom action is directed will respond. This is not the situation at present, but I maintain close contact with the Soviet co-Chairman, who is well aware that we are ready to help negotiations in any way we can when this is the wish of the parties concerned.
§ Mr. TinnCan my right hon. Friend say whether he has observed any pressure on the other co-Chairman, Russia, to dissociate herself from the North Vietnamese following the stepped-up attacks by the Vietcong on South Vietnam? Has there been any pressure on Russia to dissociate herself from these attacks, in the way that we are so often pressed to dissociate ourselves from America?
§ Mr. StewartNo, Sir, I have not. I am still waiting.
§ 29. Mr. Ogdenasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what action he proposes to ensure the continuing safety of British subjects in Saigon in the light of increased North Vietnamese attacks on the city.
§ Mr. M. StewartHer Majesty's Ambassador and his staff keep in close and constant touch with the British community in Saigon on all matters affecting their security. Plans exist to meet as many contingencies as possible, though hon. Members will realise that there are limits to what can be done to give protection against random rockets and shells.
§ Mr. OgdenMy right hon. Friend expressed the admiration of the House for the way in which the Ambassador and his staff conducted their duties. Can my right hon. Friend give an assurance that the physical condition of the Embassy itself as regards shelters, safety, and that kind of thing, is able to take care of those who might wish to take shelter there on occasion?
§ Mr. M. StewartI echo why what my hon. Friend said in the first part of his question. It would, I believe, be possible to give shelter to some in the Embassy, but at present we have made plans to meet as many contingencies as possible.
§ 30. Mr. Ogdenasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what communication he has received in his capacity of co-chairman of the Geneva Agreement from the Secretary General of the United Nations about the acceptability to both sides of the United Nations rôle in ending the war in Vietnam.
§ Mr. M. StewartNone, Sir. As I reminded the House on 20th May, North Vietnam has consistently rejected any suggestion that the United Nations should concern themselves with Vietnam. The 31 United States on the other hand have kept the United Nations informed of their action in Vietnam.—[Vol. 765, c. 2–3.]
§ Mr. OgdenWhile regretting the nature of the reply which my right hon. Friend has had to give, may I ask him to give an assurance that our Ambassador at the United Nations will keep this matter constantly before the Assembly?
§ Mr. StewartCertainly, Sir.
§ Mr. WhitakerWould any belligerents be willing to observe a total cease-fire while negotiations were pending on Vietnam?
§ Mr. StewartAs I understand it, the United States, having made the move they did at the end of March, if that could now be matched by a further step of de-escalation it might be possible to make further steps on both sides, leading possibly to what my hon. Friend has suggested.