New York (Hansard, 26 July 1978)

§ 2. Mr. Adley
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek to pay an official visit to New York.

§ Mr. Judd
My right hon. Friend regrets very much that he had to miss Questions today, but he has flown to New York for an urgent meeting on Namibia.

§ Mr. Adley
On the issue of the British information services in New York, and Mr. O'Keefe, is the hon. Gentleman aware that many people equally well informed as himself take a different view of Mr. O'Keefe's dismissal? When overseas quango Jay finishes the round-Britain yacht race in his yacht Norvantes "[HON. MEMBERS: "Cheap".] Cheap it is not. When he finishes the race, will the Minister tell him that there is widespread concern about the way in which Mr. O'Keefe's dismissal has been handled? Will he tell our ambassador in Washington that his behaviour is an abuse of his power, whomsoever his father-in-law may be?

§ Mr. Judd
I can only repeat that the hon. Gentleman would do well to get his facts right. There is no question of a dismissal. Frequently those who serve in the Diplomatic Service move from one appointment to another earlier than anticipated. Secondly, we must all recognise that from time to time, in the context, for example, of the CPRS review of the future of our Foreign Service, it naturally becomes necessary to make readjustments in the deployment of our resources. That is all that is happening.

§ Mr. Newens
Can my hon. Friend say whether there has been any communication with the United States Administration about the fraudulent character of the elections in Bolivia? Will he take this opportunity to add his voice to that of the United States Administration by denouncing these elections, expressing concern at the seizure of power by one of the candidates in the election, and calling for new and fair elections, in which at least no more people vote than are on the electoral register?

§ Mr. Judd
I assure my hon. Friend that the Government are deeply committed to the cause of democracy. In Bolivia, as anywhere else, we want to see democracy operating as effectively and fully as it can, not only legally but in spirit. We deeply regret infringements of the democratic process anywhere in the world.

§ Mr. John Davies
The Minister of State has excused his right hon. Friend for his inability to be here today. We fully understand that. Since the severe problem of Namibia is involved, will the Minister make it abundantly clear that the report that the Government deliberately misled the South African Government over the subject of Walvis Bay is untrue?

§ Mr. Judd
I am grateful to the right hon. Member for the way in which he accepts my right hon. Friend's absence. I assure him that any reports of this kind are totally unfounded.