§ 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 whether they have now reached conclusions on the report regarding Namibia (South West Africa) presented by Dr. Waldheim to the Security Council of the United Nations.
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE)My Lords, Her Majesty's Government have always considered that the Secretary-General's mission represented the most hopeful approach to a negotiated settlement of this problem. That remains our view.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, yes; but is the noble Baroness aware that that is not quite the Answer to my Question? Does the noble Baroness remember that three weeks ago I put down this Question and she said that there was not time to consider this report? Has there not been time since for Her Majesty's Government to consider the actual report?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEYes, my Lords, indeed, and that is why I gave the reply I did. I should not in any case wish to anticipate the debate of the Security Council.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, may I ask the noble Baroness whether it is not a fact that in the intervening three weeks evidence has been given, first, of the appalling condition of the African workers, and secondly, of the arrest of the African leaders and of those from the Ovambo? In those circumstances, is it not necessary for Her Majesty's Govern- 962 ment, in a territory which is under United Nations' authority, to propose that its future should be determined by a conference representing our Government, the Republic, the tribal leaders, and the leaders of the African Parties?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIENo, my Lords. The noble Lord knows well that we do not accept that South Africa's mandate has in fact been terminated; but we have made it quite clear that we accept the importance of the unity and the territorial integrity of South-West Africa, and we deplore any measures that tend to undermine them against the wishes of the people. On the other hand, we do not want to circumscribe the free choice of the people of South-West Africa in exercising their right to self-determination, although we think it would be better done on the basis of the whole territory.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, while thanking the noble Baroness for that much fuller reply, may I ask her whether it is really the case that Her Majesty's Government accept the mandate of the Republic of South Africa over Namibia? Has not the United Nations repudiated it? Has not the Republic annexed it? Why should Her Majesty's Government be supporting the Republic on this issue?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, the British representative in the Security Council in October, 1971, said:
It seems clear that the South African Government have ignored the moral obligations undertaken by them under the mandate.But he then went on to describe the legal complexities of the matter, which I do not think would be suitable for question and answer.