§ 3.17 p.m.
§ LORD COLYTONMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they can make available to Parliament the text of the new Constitution proposed for the Congo.]
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (THE EARL OF HOME)My Lords, the draft Constitution was published as a United Nations document in New York on November 29, and a copy has been placed in the Library.
§ LORD COLYTONMy Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend. May I ask him two supplementary questions? The first is: what changes of a federal character have been made in the new Constitution compared with the Loi fondamentale of 1960? The second is: to what extent is the Constitution acceptable to President Tshombe and the political leaders of the other Provinces (and I think that would probably include President Kasavubu himself) who are seeking a wide degree of federalism?
THE EARL OF HOMEMy Lords, as I understand it the draft Constitution has been worked out with the help of the United Nations' experts with a view 327 to producing a Constitution which is as federal as possible consistent with what is called "giving the Congo a viable administration"—a rather horrible expression, but there it is. That is the purpose. I have always taken the view that this Constitution must be debated and agreed by the Congolese themselves and must not be imposed on them from outside. I do not really think it is a very good thing if outsiders comment on the Constitution in detail and express opinions, and I therefore refrain from doing so.
In answer to the second supplementary my noble friend asked me, I would say that the Constitution, I understand, has to be examined by all the Provincial Legislatures. Copies of the draft were, I think, given to the provincial Presidents at a meeting in Leopoldville in October, but President Tshombe did not attend that meeting. I think he has since had a copy of it and has said that he has some misgivings about it, but has not so far given any details of what his objections are. But I agree that this Constitution, as I think my noble friend knows, is the essence of the matter of a settlement in the Congo, and I therefore hope that Mr. Adoula and the provincial leaders will get on very quickly and try to complete it.