HL Deb 12 November 1964 vol 261 cc423-5

3.23 p.m.

LORD CARRINGTON

My 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 have any statement to make about recent events in the Yemen.]

LORD SHEPHERD

My Lords, I would apologise to the noble Lord the Leader of the Opposition that my noble friend Lord Walston is unavoidably absent from his place and is therefore unable to answer his Question.

The noble Lord the Leader of the Opposition and the House will have seen the recent announcement of a ceasefire in the Yemen, and that a meeting of the Yemeni leaders is to be convened on November 23 in order to reconcile differences and discuss the formation of a new Government. Her Majesty's Government welcome the end of the fighting, and hope that these developments may lead to a permanent and peaceful settlement.

LORD CARRINGTON

My Lords. I am grateful to the noble Lord. I wonder if he could tell me whether in point of fact the cease-fire is being observed, and also whether the subversion across the border from the Yemen into the South Arabian Federation has stopped. Would he also agree that, for the stability of the area and for the stability of the South Arabian Federation, an essential part of the agreement should be the withdrawal of the 40.000 Egyptian troops which are in the Yemen?

LORD SHEPHERD

My Lords, I am not in a position to state whether full fighting has ceased in the Yemen, but we believe that it has been considerably reduced. In fact, so far as I know, in the last 24 hours there have been no further incidents. With regard to the withdrawal of the United Arab Republic forces in the Yemen, we have so far seen no statement to this effect, but I would suggest to the noble Lord and the House that perhaps we might wait until the outcome of the conference and see whether a withdrawal takes place.

LORD CARRINGTON

My Lords, I do not want to press the noble Lord, but that does not quite answer what I asked. What I said was that I hoped the Government agreed that, for the stability of the area, it was essential that the Egyptian troops should withdraw.

LORD SHEPHERD

My Lords, I would not dispute that, but we must, think, wait. I hope the noble Lord will not press Her Majesty's Government on this, but obviously the withdrawal of these forces would be helpful to the situation in that particular area.

THE EARL OF DUNDEE

Meanwhile, my Lords, can we take it that Her Majesty's Government will not decide the question of recognition until after this conference has taken place?

LORD SHEPHERD

My Lords, surely the question of recognition depends upon the usual criteria—criteria which have been recognised by previous Governments—for giving recognition to any new régime.

THE EARL OF DUNDEE

One of which criteria would be that the authority of the Government should not depend on the bombs and bayonets of 40,000 foreign troops.