§ 18. Mr. Juddasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the Government's latest representations to the Government of South Africa arising from their study of the administration of Namibia and the implications of the South-West African Affairs Bill.
§ Mr. Goronwy RobertsWe have made no representations to the Government of South Africa on this question since the reply my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Hampstead (Mr. Whitaker) on 14th February.—[Vol. 777, c. 408–9.]
§ Mr. JuddWould my right hon. Friend not agree that the South African Government have no right to introduce this Bill, and would he explain why, along with France, we abstained on the U.N. resolution last March?
§ Mr. RobertsWe have made clear to the South African Government our views on this and previous legislation, which had something like the same effect on this territory as this Bill. Our reason for abstaining had nothing to do with the Bill as such but with procedure. I would also remind my hon. Friend that on 20th March my right hon. and noble Friend Lord Caradon made a full statement setting out our reasons for opposing the legislation and, indeed, for our action in the U.N.
§ Mr. Biggs-DavisonCan the right hon. Gentleman say which will come first—the removal of the South Africans from South-West Africa or of the Russians from the Baltic States?