HC Deb 21 June 1971 vol 819 cc980-1
14. Mr. Judd

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will publish as a White Paper details of his recent bilateral talks with the Portuguese Government.

27. Mr. Wall

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his visit to Portugal.

Sir Alec Douglas-Home

I had a useful exchange of views with the Portuguese Foreign Minister over the many matters of common interest to our two Governments. The details of the discussions must, as is customary, remain confidential.

Mr. Judd

Does the right hon. Gentleman recognise that there is widespread concern, both in this House and in the country, that he went to Portugal at all because of the propaganda advantage he put at the disposal of the régime there? Did he take every possible opportunity to make plain to the Portuguese Government that the British Government find it intolerable that Portugal should deliberately sabotage the collective international action against the illegal régime in Rhodesia and that it should use, directly or indirectly, N.A.T.O. facilities in support of its colonial wars of repression in Africa?

Sir Alec Douglas-Home

I recall that exactly the same thing was being said by hon. Members opposite when I went to Portugal 10 years ago. They said then that it would be a disaster. In neither case has it turned out to be so. On the contrary, we arrived at a considerable degree of understanding with our N.A.T.O. ally but I made plain that our African policies were different. That difference does not, I am happy to say, disturb friendship between Portugal and this country.

Mr. Foley

Did the Portuguese Government inform the right hon. Gentleman that they were about to reopen their consulate in Salisbury? If they did, did he have any reaction? If they did not, what protests has he made since?

Sir Alec Douglas - Home

The Portuguese Foreign Minister informed me, but Portugal does not recognise the Rhodesian Government.

Back to