HL Deb 16 July 1963 vol 252 cc115-6

2.48 p.m.

LORD COLYTON

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have received any further information from the Secretary-General of the United Nations about the regular transmission by the Government of Indonesia to the United Nations of information of an economic, social and educational nature in regard to West New Guinea as required by Article 73(e) of the Charter of the United Nations.]

THE EARL OF DUNDEE

My Lords, Her Majesty's Government are not yet in a position to add anything to the reply which I gave to the noble Lord's Question of May 22.

LORD COLYTON

My Lords, may I take it from my noble friend's reply that when the new session of the United Nations General Assembly takes place in September he will give instructions to our delegates to raise this issue on the Fourth Committee, with a view to ensuring that the proper transmission of information to the General Assembly should take place in accordance with Article 73(e) of the Charter, as in the case of all other colonial powers?

THE EARL OF DUNDEE

My Lords, I will certainly ask for inquiries to be made. As I think I informed my noble friend the other day, it is not certain whether there is any legal obligation under Article 73 of the Charter to do this.

LORD HENDERSON

My Lords, if there were a legal obligation, would it not be the responsibility of the Secretary-General to ensure that these reports were submitted?

THE EARL OF DUNDEE

Yes, that is so.

LORD COLYTON

My Lords, may I pursue this point with my noble friend? I can remember well on the Fourth Committee that, year after year, we had to argue the case whether we were required to transmit information or not. It happened again and again. It happened in the cases of Holland and Belgium and of other Powers. Should not the same issue be raised, and should not the Indonesian Government be required to argue their case in exactly the same way as if they were a European colonial Power?

THE EARL OF DUNDEE

My Lords, it is the case that we generally do so, and that the Netherlands Government did. I think it is right for me to make sure that I do not mislead my noble friend on the question of legal obligation.