§ 33. Mr. Peter Archerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will seek to raise at the Human Rights Commission of the United Nations the question of the recognition of human rights in the Southern Sudan.
§ Mr. GodberThe Human Rights Commission ended its annual session last 806 month and will not meet again until next year. The matter was drawn to the attention of the Commission at its last session by a representative of the Anti-Slavery Society.
§ Mr. Archeris it in the Government's mind to accept responsibility for the observance of human rights overseas? If not, do they take that view because they doubt the existence of evidence of infringement or because of some less overworked excuse?
§ Mr. GodberIt is not that we doubt it but that we are anxious to find the best way to make progress on these matters. It is not necessarily the case that the best progress can always be made by seeking to raise such issues specifically at governmental level in the way the hon. Gentleman suggests.