§ 7. Mr. Knoxasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what observations he has made in response to the resolution of the United Nations General Assembly (17th December 1974), which invited Governments of member States to forward suggestions regarding a review of the United Nations Charter for consideration by the 30th Session of the General Assembly.
§ Mr. EnnalsOur reply to the Secretary-General of 29th May stated that in our view the Charter does not require amendment and that it would be appropriate to consider changes in procedures and techniques which would not involve Charter amendment but would increase the effectiveness of the United Nations and its organs.
The full text of the reply is available in the Library.
§ Mr. KnoxWould the Minister care to tell us whether the Government consulted other countries before making these observations?
§ Mr. EnnalsWe have had informal discussions with other countries. These issues are discussed with our colleagues, but basically this was the considered reply of Her Majesty's Government.
Mr. Alan Lee WilliamsDoes my right hon. Friend agree that the attack made by Dr. Kissinger, the United States Foreign Secretary, upon the behaviour of certain nations inside the General Assembly should not be used as a pretext to weaken the essential Charter of the United Nations?
§ Mr. EnnalsI agree that it is of the greatest importance that the Charter and its procedure should be fully respected. As there have been proposals from some sources that certain countries—in this instance, Israel—should be expelled or suspended, it was right that there should be some warning of the consequences. In the view of this Government, such steps would seriously damage the prospects for the successful negotiation of a settlement of the Arab/Israeli dispute and would gravely damage the credibility of the United Nations. We believe in the universality of the United Nations as well as strict observance of its Charter.
§ Mrs. BainWill the right hon. Gentleman accept that many of us have recognised the fact that membership of the United Nations has trebled since its initial establishment in 1945, due mainly to the fact that ex-colonial States have been recognised as independent nations in their own right? Will he further accept that his own Government's recognition of the special needs of Scotland, and the recognition of these other countries as separate nations by the establishment of separate representation at the United Nations, means that this Government should have included in their recommendation the request that the Scottish and Welsh assemblies should be able to send national representatives to the United Nations?
§ Mr. EnnalsThese, basically, are matters for my right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council, but I must say that the carrying out of Her Majesty's Government's policy has always been through Her Majesty's Government and not through any separate part of the United Kingdom. I think the House would wish it to remain in that way.