§ 27. Mr. Goodhewasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Governments following the manœuvres in Canada in which men of the First Battalion Royal Green Jackets in a mock African battle defended Wamali, a make-believe Black African State, against infiltration from a make-believe white-ruled country, Lagona; and what reply he has sent.
§ Mr. MulleyNone, Sir.
§ Mr. GoodhewIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that one does not have to be an expert in crossword puzzles to see that the name of the black African country here is an anagram of Malawi and that the name of the white-ruled country is an anagram of Angola? Is he in favour of this gratuitous insult to our oldest ally, Portugal, and to Malawi, a Commonwealth country in good relations with her? Does he not think it quite absurd to have this sort of exercise when, in Africa, the position 1228 is the reverse and it is the African States who are infiltrating and trying to subvert the white-ruled countries?
§ Mr. MulleyI can only tell the hon. Gentleman that, so far as I am aware, he is the only person who has expressed great concern about this matter. There have been no unfavourable reactions locally. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office was not consulted about this imaginary situation. We have plenty of work dealing with real situations and would not have expected to be consulted. If the hon. Gentleman wants to find out how the Army draws up its training plans, he must inquire of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence.
§ Mr. MulleyI will make inquiries and inform my hon. Friend.