§ 3.37 p.m.
THE MARQUESS OF READINGMy Lords I hope the House will allow me to interrupt for a few moments this interesting discussion in order to make two statements that are now being made in another place by my right honourable friend. The first statement is on the Sudan and the second is on the arrest of seven former Nazis in the British Zone of Germany. As regards the Sudan, the House will remember that negotiations with the Egyptian Government about the introduction of self-government into the Sudan have now been going on for over two months. As my right honourable friend stated in another place on December 8, this had meant an unfortunate delay in the time-table which we had hoped it would be possible to follow, but the suggestions made by the Egyptian Government involved extensive changes in the Self-Government Statute which was accepted by the Sudanese Legislative Assembly last spring, and we naturally had to consider them very carefully. I am glad to say that agreement has been reached with the Egyptian Government on a large number of the points at issue, and that Her Majesty's Ambassador at Cairo was able to submit to the Egyptian Government on January 12 the text of a draft Agreement.
The negotiations have been complicated by the fact that various Sudanese political Parties have negotiated a number of differing agreements with representatives of the Egyptian Government. Her Majesty's Government are not, of course, a party to these agreements, but they have naturally taken note of their contents as expressing the views of various groups. The differences between the agreements, and the fact that no representatives of the Southern Sudan have taken part in them, underline the importance of bringing into existence as soon as possible a Sudanese Parliament in which the views of all sections of the Sudanese population can be heard. As the House is probably aware, the chief difficulty has been about the safeguards which were put into the draft Self-Government Statute, and approved by the Sudanese Legislative 1101 Assembly, giving the Governor-General special powers to protect the interests of the Southern provinces. I must make it clear that Her Majesty's Government have not proposed to add to these provisions. But it was to a Constitution containing these safeguards that the Southern representatives agreed, and we do not think they should be removed without the voice of the Southern population being heard in the matter.
I regret that our attitude on this should have given rise to suspicions that we wish to detach the southern provinces from the north. Nothing could be further from the truth. The preservation of the unity of the Sudan depends on willing co-operation and mutual confidence among the various sections of the population; and, in our view, nothing will contribute more to this than to show the southern population at the outset that their wishes will be taken into consideration in the settlement of matters of vital importance to them.
§ 3.40 p.m.
§ EARL JOWITTMy Lords, I am grateful to the noble Marquess for his Statement. I sincerely hope there will be a happy outcome and that in the result we shall achieve an agreement with Egypt. It is difficult to follow all these matters, and I should like to ask the noble Marquess, though I do not want an immediate answer, whether he will consider the desirability of publishing a White Paper on this subject, so that when we get to grips with this problem we may have at our disposal material in the light of which we can make our suggestions.
THE MARQUESS OF READINGMy Lords, certainly that point shall be considered. Probably at some stage a White Paper will be essential, but whether that time has yet been reached I would hesitate to say definitely at this moment, in view of the negotiations which are now going on. But the suggestion will certainly be borne in mind.
§ VISCOUNT STANSGATEMy Lords, would it be possible for the noble Marquess, who must have all these matters in his mind, to say exactly what is the point of difference on the Southern Sudan between the view of Her Majesty's Government and the Egyptian-Sudanese agreement?
THE MARQUESS OF READINGMy Lords, it is not quite so brief a point and one capable of such concise handling as would make it possible to embark upon it as a result of this Statement. We are having a debate on Foreign Affairs at no very distant date, and I cannot help thinking it would be more satisfactory to everybody if we could deal with the matter at a little more length then, rather than attempt to do so after a Statement and across the Floor of the House.
§ VISCOUNT STANSGATEMy Lords, yes; but the purpose of making a Statement is surely to inform Parliament and the exact point of difference must be in the minds of Ministers. I am informed for example, that the representation of the three Southern provinces in the new Legislative Assembly would be the same, but there is a difference about the powers of the Governor-General and how far they are controlled. All these matters must be in the mind of the noble Marquess. Could he give us a little help?
THE MARQUESS OF READINGMy Lords, I do not want to be unhelpful in the least, but these rasher delicate negotiations are going on at the present time and the situation changes rapidly. I would much rather, with the leave of the House, not enter into a discussion at this stage, even to the disappointment of the, noble Viscount.