HL Deb 15 October 1969 vol 304 cc1422-3
Lord BROCKWAY

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what proposals the Commonwealth Sanctions Committee has made towards stopping the leaks in the mandatory sanctions system applied by the United Nations to Rhodesia.]

The MINISTER of STATE, FOREIGN and COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (Lord Shepherd)

My Lords, I know that my noble friend will not expect me to go beyond the terms of the Press communiqué issued from Marlborough House after the meeting of the Commonwealth Sanctions Committee on September 24, which stated that recommendations for tightening and extending sanctions were being reported to Commonwealth Governments for consideration.

Lord BROCKWAY

My Lords, while thanking my noble friend for that Answer may I ask him this supplementary? Is this delay really necessary? Have we not been going on for months now with the present sanctions policy being largely ineffective, and is there not urgency either to tighten it or to extend it?

Lord SHEPHERD

My Lords, I would not accept that the policy of sanctions is ineffective. One has only to consider Rhodesia's gross national product, which should be looked at against the relative stagnation of their general economy. There has been no delay; and this the noble Lord will see from comparing the date of the last meeting of the Sanctions Committee and the date of the noble Lord's Question. This is a matter of deep concern to Commonwealth countries and to Her Majesty's Government in particular. All these matters need careful attention.

Lord FRASER of LONSDALE

My Lords, would it not be better to abandon this fruitless and irritating policy?

Lord SHEPHERD

No, my Lords, unless you are going to condone the actions of Rhodesia—which amount to rebellion against the Crown.

Lord GIFFORD

My Lords, are Her Majesty's Government satisfied that the Portuguese nettle is being grasped and that action is going to be effectively taken to stop the export of Rhodesian goods to the ports of Mozambique?

Lord SHEPHERD

My Lords, that is one of the matters which has given concern to Her Majesty's Government and to the United Nations. It is a matter of regret that Portugal and South Africa have not been willing to assist in bringing this rebellion to an end.

Lord GRIMSTON of WESTBURY

My Lords, is it still the policy of Her Majesty's Government that in no circumstances shall there be a confrontation with South Africa?

Lord SHEPHERD

My Lords, if the noble Lord will look at Hansard of July 17 he will see that he then asked the same question. There has been no change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government.