HC Deb 17 November 1976 vol 919 cc1309-10
2. Mr. Farr

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will now arrange for a proposal to be made to the United Nations to lift economic sanctions on Rhodesia, in view of recent developments.

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. Edward Rowlands)

No, Sir.

Mr. Farr

As it is nearly two months since the Kissinger agreement was reached, and now that the Rhodesian delegation is playing its part at Geneva, what is the point of maintaining sanctions if, in the meantime, we do not directly administer the territory?

Mr. Rowlands

We passed the sanctions order in the House only a few weeks ago and it was approved in another place only on Friday. I have made it clear that we shall move quickly to lift sanctions once an interim Government has been agreed.

Mr. Thorpe

Does the Minister not agree that it is dangerous to try to renegotiate the Kissinger package and to lift sanctions before there is an agreement? Are we not faced with two potentially fatal ambiguities? First, the 21st September telegram from Dr. Kissinger in Dar-es-Salaam could mean that agreement on defence and security questions had actually been secured, or, alternatively, that these matters should be placed on the agenda for discussion. Secondly, what does Mr. Smith mean by majority rule? Does he mean what the rest of us mean by majority rule, or does he mean a qualified majority rule? Does the Minister agree that until we get those ambiguities removed we shall not be able to negotiate on equal terms with both sides?

Mr. Rowlands

I agree that it is dangerous to lift sanctions before agreement is reached. The matter that the right hon. Gentleman has raised will be under discussion at the Geneva talks, and I do not wish to pre-empt those discussions.

Mr. Newens

Does my hon. Friend not find it astonishing that some of the most vociferous of the self-appointed guardians of law and order are advocating that we should cease to sustain our action against the most outrageous act of illegality that has ever been perpetrated in a British territory? Would that not play into the hands of those who perpetrated that act? Should we not uphold law and order by continuing sanctions?

Mr. Rowlands

We must uphold law and order by maintaining sanctions. Some of the remarks made by those who want to lift sanctions before a settlement is reached and an interim Government has been arranged imply that they support the legalising of an illegal régime.