HL Deb 07 February 1968 vol 288 c1137

2.42 p.m.

LORD SANDFORD

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 can confirm that the recent attacks by the Viet Cong terrorists and North Vietnamese guerrillas were launched in a truce period and prepared under cover of a variety of diplomatic and other diversions.]

LORD CHALFONT

My Lords, the first attacks in the recent Communist offensive in South Vietnam were launched in the early hours of January 30, during the Tet holiday. The offensive must have been planned over a considerable period.

LORD SANDFORD

My Lords, I think that many of us feared that this was indeed so. Nevertheless, it is a good thing to bear this in mind, and I should like to ask the noble Lord whether he would not agree that this means that we are witnessing from Hanoi a cynical and ruthless form of political and military leadership such as we have not perhaps seen since Hitler took over Czechoslovakia. In this situation, is it really sensible to hang such high hopes on and put such faith in negotiations as a way to bringing this struggle to a peaceful conclusion?

LORD CHALFONT

My Lords, it is true that the Viet Cong attacks were launched not only during the holiday period but at a time when it was known that the United States were exploring the North Vietnamese position on negotiations, following Mr. Trinh's statement at the end of December. I think it is a tragedy that what has now happened seems to have made useless, at least temporarily, these attempts to explore the motives and ideas of the North Vietnamese Government on negotiations. But in spite of what has happened, I continue, and the Government continue, to hope that neither side will close the door to negotiations; and we will certainly continue to do all we can to try to bring all sides in this struggle to the negotiating table.