§ Q2. Mr. Barnesasked the Prime Minister if he will now seek a meeting with the Heads of Government of France, Portugal and Russia to discuss joint sponsorship of an international ban on arms shipments to Nigeria and Biafra.
§ Mr. M. StewartI have been asked to reply.
I would refer my hon. Friend to the debate on 13th March when I dealt fully with the difficulties surrounding an international arms embargo.
§ Mr. BarnesIs my right hon. Friend aware that the Russian Embassy in 1790 London does not appear to be aware of any proposition about an arms ban having been put to it by the British Government? In view of that, will my right hon. Friend say why he is so definite about the refusal of the Russians to cooperate in this matter?
§ Mr. StewartWe have made inquiries about this and the position is as I stated it during the debate, that such an embargo, to be effective, would have to be policed inside Nigeria itself.
§ Sir Alec Douglas-HomeWill the right hon. Gentleman pursue this, because his objection has been that there would be a black market in arms? If the four larger Powers were agreed, it would not be impossible to control it.
§ Mr. StewartThe right hon. Gentleman will remember that during the debate I set out certain measures which I thought might be effective if they were taken together. We may know more about the possibilities when my right hon. Friend returns.
§ Mr. E. L. MallalieuAssuming that my right hon. Friend wishes to stop the slaughter in Nigeria as soon as possible, may I ask him to consider that perhaps the shortest and best way to do that is to send one interceptor fighter to stop French arms going in there?
§ Mr. StewartThat is another question.