HL Deb 10 April 1968 vol 291 cc323-5
LORD BROCKWAY

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 propose to the United Nations Security Council that a commission be appointed to investigate the charges made by the Governments of both North and South Korea that the terms of the Armistice Agreement of July, 1953, are being violated.]

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (LORD CHALFONT)

My Lords, in the Armistice Agreement of 1953, two bodies were set up for investigating alleged breaches of that Armistice. These were the Military Armistice Commission and the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission. Neither has been able to fulfil its role effectively because North Korea has consistently refused to allow United Nations inspection of its territory. If North Korea were willing to allow complaints from both sides to be investigated, the existing bodies, specifically established for that purpose, would be fully adequate. In the circumstances, I see no purpose in Her Majesty's Government proposing the establishment of any new body.

LORD BROCKWAY

My Lords, while recognising what my noble friend has said, is it not the case that South Korea has submitted to the Security Council over one hundred instances of infiltration and that North Korea—and this is significant—has also submitted to the Security Council, through the Soviet Government, even more cases of infiltration? Does this not indicate that there would be some willingness on both sides for there to be an investigation of infiltration? And in view of the fact and the great danger that both Governments predict war by 1970—another Vietnam—is it not now urgent that some special steps should be taken by the United Nations to prevent this disaster?

LORD CHALFONT

My Lords, I think my noble friend will agree that his question was rather a long one, and I hope he will forgive me if I answer it shortly. The fact is that allegations and counter-allegations of this kind have been made but we see no sign so far of any change in the attitude of North Korea in denying the competence of the United Nations in any matter relating to North Korea. There are these two bodies and they would work together if the North Koreans would work with them. I see no purpose in setting up yet another body.

LORD ROWLEY

My Lords, would not my noble friend agree that the figures given by my noble friend Lord Brockway as to the situation on the border could very well be greatly improved if the Government of North Korea would agree to the deployment of United Nations Observers along the border?

LORD CHALFONT

My Lords, of course; but I am sure my noble friend will know that the Military Armistice Commission, to which I referred, in fact consists of officers from the United Nations command. They are mainly Americans and South Koreans, but there are other nationalities as well. And the simple fact is that the United Nations people are there but the North Koreans will allow no inspection of their territories.

LORD BROCKWAY

My Lords, is not one of the difficulties the fact that North Korea has not been made a member of the United Nations and that the activity in South Korea was United Nations activity? Further, would Her Majesty's Government seek to find some solution to this problem through the Soviet Union, who acted as the means of communication with the Security Council?

LORD CHALFONT

My Lords, of course Her Majesty's Government will seek every way they can to help in this matter, but I ask my noble friend to believe that, whatever may be the motives of the North Korean Government in this particular case, they do deny the competence of the United Nations.

LORD OGMORE

My Lords, in view of the last question by the noble Lord, Lord Brockway, may I ask: is it not a fact that the recent United Nations presence in Korea is due to the quite unjustified attack by North Korea on South Korea in 1950?

LORD CHALFONT

My Lords, I take note of what the noble Lord has said, but I think it would be unprofitable for me to comment on it at the moment.