MR. IAN SMITH (Hansard, 17 May 1973)

§ Ql. Mr. Edward Lyons
asked the Prime Minister whether he will now seek to meet Mr. Ian Smith.

§ Q3. Mr. Arthur Davidson
asked the Prime Minister when he intends to meet Mr. Ian Smith.

§ The Prime Minister (Mr. Edward Heath)
I have at present no plans to meet Mr. Smith.

§ Mr. Lyons
Is it not evident that the successful appeal of Peter Niesewand was the result of the magnificent spotlight turned on his case by the British Press, radio and television? Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that this trial means that Peter Niesewand has now been taken from any further close-range reporting of the Rhodesian scene? Will he tell the Smith regime that interference with the Press and the continued detention of African leaders is not conducive to further negotiations with that regime?

§ The Prime Minister
We are very glad that Mr. Niesewand has been released but, as I told the House when this matter was first raised here, we have constantly made representations to Mr. Smith about other detainees and their release, but, unfortunately, so far these representations have not been effective.

§ Mr. Hastings
Will my right hon. Friend say something in this connection about the murder of two Canadian girl tourists by Zambian troops firing across the Rhodesian border, bearing in mind that Her Majesty's Government are responsible for what happens there? It may be a fiction, but that is the position. Would my right hon. Friend not also agree that this tragedy, like so many others in central Africa, is the direct result of power in the hands of totally unpredictable people? Will he ensure that the Foreign Secretary makes the strongest possible protest to the Zambian Government?

§ The Prime Minister
We were naturally distressed to hear about this loss of life, but as a Government we have no direct information about this matter. I understand that the Canadian and American missions in Lusaka are in touch with the Zambian authorities and the Zambian Government have undertaken to investigate the incident.

§ Mr. Davidson
Does the Prime Minister agree that what Mr. Smith appears to fear very much is the disapproval of the British Government and people? If, as Prime Minister, the right hon. Gentleman were to protest over the continued detention of hundreds of people who have had no access to the courts at all with the same passion as he and the media protested—and rightly protested—against the imprisonment of Mr. Peter Nieswand, might he not have brought about the same results for all those other people who have been detained for so long by a man who is in the classic tradition of the self-righteous tyrant.

§ The Prime Minister
The hon. Gentleman must accept the facts—which are that the present Government, like their predecessors, have constantly made representations to Mr. Smith about the release of detainees. I recently reminded the House that there was an arrangement in the agreement signed in Salisbury by the Foreign Secretary with Mr. Smith for a commission to examine the whole question of those detained. We have recently again asked Mr. Smith to give us the number of detainees, but we have not been given this information.

§ Mr. Haselhurst
Does my right hon. Friend consider that his time might be better spent talking with the leaders of other African countries with whom this country has a greater community of interest?

§ The Prime Minister
We keep in the very closest touch with the leaders of other African countries. Many members of the present Government have visited many parts of Africa and talked to their leaders. I have talked to them when they have been in London or at conferences in other parts of the world, and contact is very close.

§ Mr. Harold Wilson
Does the Prime Minister recognise that we all deplore 1698 these quite unjustified shootings and welcome what the right hon. Gentleman has said, namely, that the Zambian Government are to institute full inquiries into this matter. Until those inquiries are complete, it would be wrong for anyone to start attributing blame for these shootings.
As for the detainees, although I am sure the right hon. Gentleman has done a great deal—as we did—to press for their release and for more information about them, is he aware that since Mr. Smith's last hope seems to be that he will at some time reach an accommodation with Her Majesty's Government which is acceptable to the people of Rhodesia, as we have always insisted, the right hon. Gentleman should be pressing the case of the detainees, irrespective of their colour, especially those who have been there such a long time?

§ The Prime Minister
We shall continue to press as the right hon. Gentleman asks, and to make representations. Again, as my right hon. Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary has said many times, both in this House and in public, we believe that it is essential that there should be discussions between Mr. Smith and representatives of other races in Rhodesia in a further attempt to get a settlement. I am certain that if those discussions take place the question of the detainees is bound to be raised.