HL Deb 28 March 1968 vol 290 cc1120-1

3.12 p.m.

LORD SEGAL

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 make a Statement on recent events in the former Aden territory, particularly about the safety of British nationals, and developments in the refinery installations.]

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (LORD CHALFONT)

My Lords, the President of the Republic said publicly on March 25 that a group of people had, in his words, "wanted to take a certain position", and that a number of arrests made on March 20 had been made in the name but without the knowledge of the National Liberation Front. He reaffirmed, however, that the National Liberation Front was in complete control of the situation.

On the second part of the Question, no violence has been reported and there has been no threat to the British community or to British property, including the refinery. The refinery is operating normally, but below full normal capacity because of the closure of the Suez Canal.

LORD SEGAL

My Lords, I should like to thank my noble friend for that reply, especially in view of the recent conflicting reports. In view of the alignment of the Republic of South Yemen with the Communist bloc, does my noble friend consider the British Government's grant-in-aid of £9 million to have been well spent? Does he also consider it fair that the British taxpayer should now be burdened with any further financial responsibility in that area?

LORD CHALFONT

My Lords, when my noble friend speaks of the relations of the South Yemen with the Communist bloc, I think he is basing his supplementary question on a hypothesis with which I could not entirely agree. Although the Soviet Union has a small diplomatic mission in Aden and there have been a number of visits by Russians, including a current one by a military delegation, there is no information to show that the Russians have agreed to provide substantial aid or that the South Yemen Government have offered any facilities to the Soviet Union. I think the basic premise that the South Yemen Government is in some way closely aligned with the Communist bloc is possibly a false one, and certainly a premature one.

LORD SEGAL

My Lords, in view of the fact that the people of the former Aden territories are now facing even greater dangers than they faced under colonialist rule, have the Government now abandoned all hope that the Republic of South Yemen can become an independent Sovereign State under the Commonwealth?

LORD CHALFONT

My Lords, I think this goes very wide of the noble Lord's original Question. If he cares to put down a Question in the new sense I will certainly answer it.