§ 2.40 p.m.
§ LORD FRASER OF LONSDALEMy 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 now make a statement regarding the diplomatic and financial relationship between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of the Kingdom of Lesotho.]
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (LORD SHEPHERD)My Lords, I have nothing to add to the Answer 441 that I gave to my noble friend Lord Brockway on February 18.
§ LORD FRASER OF LONSDALEMy Lords, having regard to the reasonably favourable Statement made by the Minis-ter last night in another place, may I ask the noble Lord whether he has heard, as I have this very morning from Lesotho, that there is now a very widespread de-gree of law and order in that country, and that talks are going on between the parties? Can he say anything that could encourage those talks, because they are vital to the future welfare of the country?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, Her Majesty's Government are glad that these talks are taking place. We have taken note of the statement made by the participants, that this is an internal matter and ought to be settled by those in the country. Therefore, to what degree one can help is to a certain extent open to question. However, my right honourable friend said in another place last night:
If the criteria for recognition are satisfied —and I have indicated that the signs are hope-ful—and recognition is accordingly granted, I will, of course, consider the resumption of the aid programme in the light of these new circumstances. The basis on which our offer was made last December will now be looked at in the context of recent events."— [OFFICIAL REPORT, Commons, col. 1357.]
§ LORD FRASER OF LONSDALEMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that degree of hopefulness.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, appreciating the knowledge and the concern of the noble Lord, Lord Fraser, may I ask the Minister whether he is aware that, in view of the fact that the present Government in Lesotho came into office after rejecting an electoral decision, many of us support the British action in with-drawing aid? Can the Minister clarify one point? The Commissioner of Police and British police expatriates are very active in what is happening now. How far are the British Government responsible for the maintenance of this police force in Lesotho?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, I think I should make it quite clear that Her Majesty's Government have not withdrawn aid as such from Lesotho. The position was that when we were faced with a regimé which we could not recognise, we could not continue to negotiate 442 a new agreement on aid. The 14 United Kingdom nationals who are serving in the Lesotho police are officers under con-tract to the Lesotho Government, and therefore there is no responsibility on Her Majesty's Government so far as these individuals are concerned. It is true that under the existing OSAS arrangements we pay part of the income of these officers, but they are under the control of the Lesotho Government.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, may I, while hoping that these talks will succeed, ask this further supplementary question? Is my noble friend aware that among the Basuto people there is great appreciation of the peace which was maintained there under 84 years of British protectorate, and that there is now a danger that, because of the use of British police, this good feeling towards this country may deteriorate?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, I would not wish to get into a discussion with my noble friend about the virtues of colonialism, but I certainly share with him a desire to see peace and stability in this country.