HL Deb 27 June 1967 vol 284 cc79-80

2.36 p.m.

VISCOUNT MASSEREENE AND FERRARD

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 will instruct Lord Caradon to condemn in the General Assembly of the United Nations the illegal and inhuman use of poison gas by the Egyptians in the Yemen.]

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (LORD CHALFONT)

My Lords, Her Majesty's Government deplore and condemn the use of poison gas by any nation, but I doubt whether this is the appropriate time for us to raise the matter in the United Nations. It would not achieve the effect intended and it would all too probably be used to divert attention from the main issues of the moment.

VISCOUNT MASSEREENE AND FERRARD

My Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for that reply, may I ask whether he is aware that many people think that this matter should be brought up, perhaps at some future date? And, though many people may agree with the noble Lord that this may not be the right time, could he give us some hope that the matter will be brought up eventually?

LORD CHALFONT

My Lords, I do not exclude the possibility that the matter will be brought up eventually. But as this poison gas has been used by Egypt against the Arabs, we feel that it is for the Arabs to take the lead in putting an end to this particular form of fractricide. While, as I say, I do not exclude the possibility of bringing up this matter at some future date, I believe that our efforts at the United Nations at the moment ought to be concentrated on finding a solution to the Arab-Israeli dispute.

THE EARL OF DUNDEE

My Lords, has the noble Lord any information as to whether the Egyptians are still using poison gas in the Yemen, since the events of the last three weeks?

LORD CHALFONT

My Lords, there is no firm evidence, because as we have no diplomatic representatives in the Yemen we have no direct evidence of events there; but there are well-substantiated reports that lethal gas has been used on several occasions, and may have been used since the events in the Arab-Israeli war.

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