§ 24. Mr. Iremongerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the Republic of South Africa.
§ Sir Alec Douglas-HomeOur policies towards the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the Union of South Africa, like our policies towards other countries, are based on the national interest.
§ Mr. IremongerWhich of these two equally odious régimes is most avidly dedicated to the destruction of the free world?
§ Sir Alec Douglas-HomeIf any régime is devoted to the destruction of the free world, it will find us against it.
§ Mr. HealeyIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that it is the view of many experts in all countries that his proposal 22 to sell arms to South Africa will immensely strengthen the hand of the Soviet Union throughout the African continent?
§ Sir Alec Douglas-HomeWhen the right hon. Gentleman has had as many contacts with the Soviet Union as I have, he will know that they do exactly what they like irrespective of what anyone else does.
§ Mr. HealeyDoes the right hon. Gentleman recognise that the success of the Soviet Government in Africa and elsewhere depends upon the attitude towards the United Kingdom and the West of the local régimes, and that that attitude is bound to be prejudiced by the proposals of the right hon. Gentleman?
§ Sir Alec Douglas-HomePerhaps the right hon. Gentleman will wait and see what the proposals are.
§ Mr. BraineIs not it a fact that the late Labour Government not only considered that the Simonstown Agreement was important to British interests, and said so publicly, but also supplied live practice ammunition to the South African Navy?
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. There is to be a statement on this at the end of Questions.
§ Mr. BraineIn view of this, is not it odd that importance should be attached to a joint agreement for defence in the South Atlantic, but that the means of carrying it out should be denied to one partner?
§ Sir Alec Douglas-HomeYes, I said this myself the other day. The right hon. Gentleman must recognise that if any Commonwealth country looked at the record of Britain and compared it with the record of the Soviet Union, that country would think twice before criticising us.