§ 12. Mr. Juddasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the latest developments in contacts between Her Majesty's Government and the illegal Rhodesian régime.
§ Sir Alec Douglas-HomeI would refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave to a Question from my hon. Friend the Member for Chigwell (Mr. Biggs-Davison) on 16th November.—[Vol. 806, c. 302.]
§ Mr. JuddWill the right hon. Gentleman not agree, in view of the latest news from Rhodesia of still further entrenchment of racialism in the policy of the Government there, that we can have no confidence that conditions contained in the five principles would be observed once independence had been recognised? Would he not, therefore, reconsider the ill-timed decision of the Government here to reopen negotiations with the régime?
§ Sir Alec Douglas-HomeNo. I would have thought that, in a way, it made it more urgent that we should see whether there is a satisfactory settlement which can be reached within the five principles.
§ Mr. CormackWould not my right hon. Friend accept the fact that most people on this side of the House welcome what he is doing and wish him every success?
§ Mr. HealeyWould not the right hon. Gentleman accept that if there is to be any chance whatever of success in this doubtful exercise it will depend on the Government's making it quite clear that, failing a settlement, sanctions will continue, and that the decision of the Rhodesian Government to introduce new apartheid-type legislation after the House of Commons debate casts grave doubt on 20 the wisdom of the Government's policy in this respect?
§ Sir Alec Douglas-HomeWe debated this policy a very short time ago and during that debate we discussed the sanctions question. I have nothing to add to what I said then.