§ 16. Mr. John Hyndasked the Minister of Overseas Development what measures have been taken, or are being considered by Her Majesty's Government to establish a British association with the Organisation of American States' International Fund for technical assistance for the economic and social development of Latin America.
§ Mrs. HartSince 1965 my Department has undertaken each year two or three technical assistance projects in Latin America proposed by the Organisation of American States, and we accept O.A.S. nominees for training in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. HyndIn view of the important potential of Latin America both politically and economically, and the fact that the proposal mentioned in the Question was put forward recently to the Foreign Secretary by the Latin American Secretary of the Organisation of American States, will the Minister take full note of the significance of this matter and discuss it further with her right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary?
§ Mrs., HartI will certainly take full note of it, but I am sure my hon. Friend will be the first to accept that there are difficulties of principle in making a cash contribution to an organisation of which we are not a member and in whose policies we therefore can have no say That is the real difficulty of the matter.