HL Deb 30 April 1970 vol 309 cc1107-8

3.11 p.m.

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 support the proposal by Mr. Malik, the Soviet representative at the United Nations, welcomed by President Nixon, that a new Geneva Conference be held to consider means by which peace could be restored in Indo-China.]

THE MINISTER OF STATE, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (LORD SHEPHERD)

My Lords, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has made it abundantly clear that he is willing at any time to assist in holding a new Conference to restore peace in Indo-China. On April 16 Mr. Malik said that in present conditions, the real situation appeared to be that only a new Geneva Conference could bring about a fresh solution and relax the tension in the Indo-China peninsula. Unfortunately, as the noble Lord may be aware, Mr. Malik said in an interview with the Press on the following day that convening a conference is "unrealistic at the present time ". A Conference could obviously only be fruitful if those immediately concerned were willing to take part.

LORD BROCKWAY

My Lords, I appreciate what has been done, but in view of the grave situation indicated by the prepared speech of President Nixon for to-night, that American aircraft and advisers are going into Cambodia to support South Vietnam, supplementing the Viet Cong and American defiance of the Geneva Agreement, will not our British Government take some urgent initiative to try to bring this disastrous position in Indo-China to a close? Is not my noble friend aware that the Prime Minister would have the support of millions if he would take the initiative for peace in this situation which is so dangerous to the whole world?

LORD SHEPHERD

My Lords, the British Government have taken all possible steps to bring a conference into being; what we lack is the co-operation of others. Until we get some support and co-operation, particularly by the co-Chairman to the Geneva Convention, it seems to me that there is little Her Majesty's Government can do.