§ 2.41 p.m.
§ LoRD GIFFORDMy 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 what is the purpose of the visit to this country of the Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs, arranged for March 6 to 10, 1972.]
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIAN)My Lords, when my right honourable friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary visited Lisbon last June he invited the Portuguese Foreign Minister to pay a return visit to this country. Dr. Patricio is visiting Britain from March 6 to 11 for this purpose. This will provide an opportunity for discussion of bilateral and international matters in which Britain and Portugal have a common interest.
§ LORD GIFFORDMy Lords, I thank the noble Marquess for that rather vague Answer. But is it not one of the Portuguese Government's principal objectives in this visit to win British support for Portugal's colonial wars in Africa? Does not the very fact of this visit indicate that such support may be forthcoming; and, if so, is that not shameful? And will those Ministers who are meeting Dr. Patricio express to him the Government's condemnation of the fact that Portugal is determined by force to repress the legitimate aspirations of the people of Mozambique, Angola and Guinea for majority rule?
§ THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIANMy Lords, the noble Lord will appreciate that the conversations between my right honourable friend and Dr. Patricio must remain confidential, but certainly these conversations will go a great deal wider than the topics which he suggests. He will of course know that there is a difference between British African policy and 5 Portuguese African policy—a difference that is as well known to the Portuguese as it is to ourselves.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, may I ask the noble Marquess whether, while these differences exist, it is consistent for the Government of this country to be supplying arms to Portugal, which may release arms from Portugal for her aggressive measures in the continent of Africa?
§ THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIANMy Lords, it would be quite inconsistent if the Government were doing that but they are not doing anything of the kind. The arms which Portugal receives from this country are, as the noble Lord is well aware, entirely confined to NATO purposes and there is no indication at all that this is, as it were, releasing other arms for aggression in Africa
§ LORD BARNBYMy Lords, would the Minister agree that such a Question as is on the Order Paper concerning the visit of a Foreign Minister of any other country, often less close to us than our oldest ally, cumulatively endangers our export trade and therefore employment, about which there is rightly so much current concern?
§ THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIANMy Lords, I would certainly agree with my noble friend that visits of this sort between the Foreign Ministers of friendly countries can only be of benefit to the countries concerned.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, reverting to my question and putting aside the evidence of NATO arms which have been found in Mozambique and Angola, is it not obviously the case that if we supply Portugal with arms for NATO purposes, including the defence of Portugal, that will release Portuguese arms for activity in Africa?
§ THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIANMy Lords, that depends on what the noble Lord thinks about this matter. I do not regard it as being "obviously the case", but I do not think I could convince the noble Lord of that.