§ LORD BROCKWAYMy 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 how they propose to instruct their representatives at the United Nations regarding the future of Namibia (South West Africa) following the end of the dialogue within the Government of the Republic of South Africa on April 30, and following the refusal by the National Convention, representing African tribes and Parties, to participate in an Advisory Council.
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE)My Lords, the United Nations Secretary-General has been asked to report to the Security Council by April 30 on his further contacts with the South African Government. Instructions to our representative at the United Nations will take account of Dr. Waldheim's report and of other relevant developments.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, while thanking the noble Baroness for that reply, may I ask her whether she is aware that this week, probably to-day, Mr. Vorster, the Prime Minister of the Republic, is opening the Advisory Council? Is she further aware that that Advisory Council has been repudiated by all the African political Parties in Namibia, by the coloured mixed races and by the tribal leaders; and will she, instead, influence Her Majesty's Government, when this matter is discussed by the Security Council, to propose that the future of Namibia should be decided by a constitutional Conference representing the Parties, the tribes and even those who are now co-operating in the Advisory Council?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, my information is that the first meeting of the Advisory Council is to be held on March 23, not to-day, and will be presided over by 430 Mr. Vorster. It is true that some tribal leaders have declined to nominate representatives, but I think we should wait until March 23 to see what comes front that meeting.
§ LORD BROCKWAYYes, my Lords; but is it not quite clear now that the overwhelming mass of the population of Namibia absolutely repudiates this Advisory Council, which has no power and which is entirely unrepresentative?
BARONESS TWEEDSMIUR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, as I said, I think we should wait to find out what the people of the territory themselves think on March 23.
§ LORD CONESFORDMy Lords, is there some misprint in the Question on the Order Paper? What on earth is
the dialogue within the Government …",and how do we know that it has ended?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, I did not feel it was right to refer to this particular aspect of the Question, but possibly it referred to the dialogue between Dr. Waldheim and the Government of South Africa.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, is this Question not entirely correct? Is it not the case that the dialogue between the United Nations and the Republic of South Africa is to proceed until April 30, and, in that case, is not the Question absolutely correct?
§ LORD CONESFORDMy Lords, I think the noble Lord who asked the Question has omitted to observe that what is on the Order Paper is the word "within" and not the word "with".
BARONESS LLEWELWYN-DAVIES OF HASTOEMy Lords, although we deeply love the noble Lord, Lord Conesford, on such an important matter as this is it not much more important that we should consider the content of the Question rather than a possible misprint?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, I think my noble friend was quite right to draw attention to any terminological inexactitude, but, at the same time, I think also that we have in this House been discussing the substance of the Question.