§ Q4. Mr. William Hamiltonasked the Prime Minister if he will seek to pay an official visit to India and Pakistan.
§ The Prime MinisterI had the pleasure of visiting India and Pakistan in January, and I have no plans at present for further visits.
§ Mr. HamiltonDoes the Prime Minister agree that there is a great danger of conflict in the area between Pakistan and India? Is not it time Her Majesty's Government made an outright and forthright condemnation of the bloody outrages now being committed by the Pakistani Army on the East Pakistanis?
§ The Prime MinisterThe Prime Minister of India has given very firm assurances, both in public and in private, that India has no intention of intervening in the situation in East Pakistan. The object of Her Majesty's Government is to do everything possible to bring an end to strife and to try to bring about a political solution to the difficulties. It is to that end that we have been working.
§ Mr. David SteelWhilst we accept the general proposition that we do not comment on the internal difficulties of any other member of the Commonwealth, are not the reports coming out of East Pakistan so outrageous that some comment is called for from other members of the Commonwealth?
§ The Prime MinisterWe are all aware of the reports which have come out of 945 East Pakistan, but if we are endeavouring to bring an end to conflict and achieve a political solution, we must be allowed to adopt the means which seem to us best.
§ Mr. SandysWhilst I deplore the tragic loss of life in East Pakistan, is my right hon. Friend aware that he will have general support for maintaining the policy adopted by the previous Government in regard to Biafra and giving no encouragement to rebel forces in any Commonwealth country?
§ The Prime MinisterI have set out what our objective is in the matter. My right hon. Friend understands that we want to see a political solution to an immensely difficult situation. In my messages to the President of Pakistan it has been my purpose to achieve this.
§ Mr. Harold WilsonWe took the view, supported by the then Opposition, that it was not right for the House to intervene in the internal problems of Nigeria, but we at least used our influence with the Nigerian Government together with others, to persuade them to invite observers into the areas concerned to provide some guarantee that there was no genocide and that there was no truth in some of the allegations being made internationally about what was going on, and what would go on, in the so-called Biafran territory. That was totally successful, and the reports showed that there was no genocide. Has the Prime Minister made such a proposal, either separately or with Commonwealth colleagues, that there should be international observers—one from this country, perhaps, one from Asia, one from the United Nations, and so on—to report to the world outside about conditions in East Pakistan and about the very grave accusations of murder of civilian populations?
§ The Prime MinisterI would appreciate it if the right hon. Gentleman would not press me on the details of the exchanges I have had with the President of Pakistan. If I recall correctly, the right hon. Gentleman himself was very careful in his discussions with the Nigerian Government not to reveal the details of confidential exchanges and was extremely careful in the timing of any of the proposals he made.
§ Mr. Harold WilsonI answered many questions in the House on the matter, and made a very full statement after my visit to Nigeria. We had a series of debates, including Standing Order No. 9 Adjournment debates, about these questions at the time. The House was informed about the proposal for observers after we made it and it was accepted, and was kept fully informed about further proposals we made. At the right moment, surely, the right hon. Gentleman will want to give a full account to the House of what he has done in this matter?
§ The Prime MinisterYes—at the right moment I am fully prepared to give further information to the House.