§ 3.35 p.m.
§ LORD SHACKLETONMy Lords, with your Lordships' permission, I should like to repeat the words which my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs has used in replying to a Private Notice Question in another place on the subject of the situation in Aden. His Statement was as follows:
"Severe inter-factional fighting has been taking place in the Sheikh Othman, Mansura, and Tawahi areas of Aden over the past few days. British troops have not been involved, but casualties among Arabs have been heavy.
"It is a tragedy that Arabs who are inevitably shortly to take charge of their own affairs should be killing each other.
"Several previous attempts to call a cease-fire had only a temporary effect. The National Liberation Front appear to have gained the upper hand. On 280 Sunday the National Liberation Front High Command sent a message to their delegation in Cairo calling for a suspension of their talks with the Front for the Liberation of occupied South Yemen there.
"Yesterday the South Arabian Army, which up to now has been using all its influence to bring the two factions to agreement on the formation of a government, issued a statement siding unreservedly with the National Liberation Front.
"The latest reports I have received indicate that the situation is now quiet. Shooting has stopped in Sheikh Othman and Mansura. The markets have reopened.
"Our prime interest on the South Arabian political front since September has been to see the emergence of a government which would be able to take over from us and with which we could negotiate. This remains our position."
§ LORD CARRINGTONMy Lords, I am sure the House will be obliged to the noble Lord, Lord Shackleton, for repeating the Statement made in another place. I do not wish to comment on the general situation in South Arabia at the present time. I said what I had to say last week, and I do not wish to add to it. However, I should like to ask the noble Lord two questions. First, is he satisfied about the safety of British subjects and British property in Aden, and in South Arabia generally? When the British troops leave, which I understand will be in the middle of this month, who will be responsible for the safety of British subjects? Will it be the South Arabian Army? And what arrangements have been made for the evacuation of British subjects if that should prove necessary?
§ LORD SHACKLETONMy Lords, I appreciate the noble Lord's not wishing to widen the discussion. It is a fact that no British personnel and no expatriates have been involved, and apart from the incidents over the last week or so, which have been fully reported in the Press, there have been no attacks which have endangered the lives of British civilians. As for their future safety, and the safety of property, as my right honourable friend the Minister of State told another place on November 2 the High Commissioner 281 is constantly in touch (and knowing the High Commissioner as the noble Lord and I both do, we can accept that he would be) and will give all the advice that is possible in what are extremely difficult circumstances.
It is the intention of the British Government and the High Commissioner to try to make an arrangement with the successor government for the protection of any British subjects who decide to remain in Aden after independence. But their position will be the same as that of British subjects in any other foreign country. So far as the situation is concerned at the moment of the evacuation of the British forces, obviously the High Commissioner will take into account the situation and will advise accordingly. If it comes about that evacuation becomes necessary, then we have the means to achieve it. Thereafter they will be in the same situation as any British citizens in any country where trouble may break out. It is, of course, worth noting that the British in Little Aden have not been molested. Those working at the refinery are now carrying on with their work quite happily under the protection both of the South Arabian Army and of the National Liberation Front.