HC Deb 23 June 1969 vol 785 cc983-5
11. Mr. Barnes

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set a time limit to the continued supply of British arms to Nigeria in view of the protraction of the war with Biafra.

49. Mr. James Griffiths

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will now impose a time limit on the supply of arms by the United Kingdom to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Mr. Foley

I do not believe that setting a time limit on our continued supply of arms to the Federal Government would help to bring a settlement nearer.

Mr. Barnes

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that following the shooting down of a Red Cross plane in daylight and the harassing of Dr. Lindt, all relief flights into Biafra have stopped? Will he reaffirm the pledge given a year ago by the Foreign Secretary that if an attempt is made to starve the Biafrans into submission the British policy of underwriting Nigeria's policy by supplying arms will be changed?

Mr. Foley

There is another Question on the Order Paper on this subject. Efforts have been made for many months to open up land corridors. There is hope that something might happen in this respect. The International Red Cross has been pressing for daylight flights, the Federal Government have supported them in principle, but the person who has not has been the representative in the secessionist area.

Sir Alec Douglas-Home

I do not think the House has really been entirely convinced in previous debates that arms to Nigeria could not be policed in the context of an international agreement. Can the hon. Gentleman say whether the Foreign Secretary is pursuing the possibility of getting the four Powers or many Powers, to agree to some limitation?

Mr. Foley

There have been discussions. The position at the moment is that the French deny that they are supplying arms. The Russians have said that they will continue to supply arms. The Portuguese are providing transit and other facilities, and intend to continue to do so. The problem in terms of getting an international arms embargo is that unless it is policed in the country, and unless it is accepted on both sides, it is meaningless. We require the approval of both sides in the conflict if we are to get any effective arms embargo. We have maintained that this can happen only at the same time as there is a cease-fire which also is policed. The prerequisite for all this is that both sides are willing to sit down and talk. There is no lack of outside mediators. There is an absence of a will to mediate.

23. Mr. Frank Allaun

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, following the withdrawal by the Lagos Government of its offer to Biafra of negotiations without conditions, if he will now end the supply of arms from Great Britain and propose through the United Nations that France, Russia and Portugal should stop arms from going to either side.

Mr. Foley

No, Sir. My hon. Friend is mistaken in his belief that the Federal Nigerian Government have withdrawn their offer of negotiations without preconditions for an end to the conflict in Nigeria. The Federal Government fully maintain their readiness to negotiate a peaceful settlement as explained by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 2nd April.—[Vol. 781, c. 485–6.]

Mr. Allaun

But why do not the Government even attempt to obtain a joint ban on arms, particularly since Biafra's only inlet point, Uli, could easily be policed on the spot, a proceeding to which she has agreed?

Mr. Foley

I agree that if we can get agreement by both sides for policing on the spot we can move, but so far that has not been possible.

Mr. Hugh Fraser

Surely the Foreign Secretary should look again at the Resolution of the Assembly of the Council of Europe which, on 15th May, asked that there should be a total arms embargo. This was carried with no opposition. It is clear that Colonel Ojukwu would agree to an arms embargo, and would agree to police it and to reveal those black market sources common to both sides.

Mr. Foley

I have read the Resolution and I sympathise very much with it—

Mr. Fraser

Do something about it.

Mr. Foley

The point is, as I have said, that an international arms embargo can be effective only if accepted by both sides. The right hon. Member for Stafford and Stone (Mr. Hugh Fraser) has had the advantage, which many hon. Members have not, of having been and spoken to Colonel Ojukwu. I should still be interested in something which I have never yet heard—an authoritative public statement from Colonel Ojukwu that he would accept and police an international arms embargo and a cease-fire, and that he would be willing to sit down and discuss these matters with the other side.