§ 2.44 p.m.
§ 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 the Government of the United States of America have asked for permission to build a naval base and airstrip extensions on the island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean; and, if so, what has been the reply.
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE)My Lords, in accordance with the 1966 Anglo-American Agreement (Cmnd. 3231) discussions are taking place between the two Governments about the possible expansion of the existing facilities at Diego Garcia. A statement will be made when these discussions have been completed.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, I thank the noble Baroness. Is she aware that very serious consideration was given to this by Mrs. Gandhi and Mrs. 370 Bandaranaika, the, somewhat uniquely, women Prime Ministers of India and Ceylon at a conference which ended yesterday? Would not Her Majesty's Government support their proposal that the Indian Ocean should be neutralised as a sea of peace, involving not only the withdrawal of naval and military bases but of the Russian fleet from that area?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, while we have of course given careful consideration to the idea of an Indian Ocean peace zone, it does seem to us to be unrealistic, because a zone of peace covering such a vast area, even if it could be defined, which is questionable, would be impossible to verify.
§ LORD ORR-EWINGMy Lords, would my noble friend treat very sympathetically any application to develop this base? Since the British forces have had to withdraw from the Persian Gulf and since the Yemen has been evacuated, with the possibility that the Suez Canal may well be opened in the not distant future, and with the increasing strength of the Russian fleet in the Indian Ocean, it is highly desirable that the democracies should have facilities in that area.
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, I quite agree with my noble friend that the Indian Ocean is crossed by sea lanes that are vital to the economic interests of this country and of the West as a whole. The United States Government and Her Majesty's Government are, naturally, very concerned with their security.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, would not the noble Baroness agree that in the present situation of détente, great measures are possible which seemed impossible only a few months ago? Would it not be possible to obtain an agreement between the United States of America, the Soviet Union and the countries of South East Asia in order to bring about this desirable object?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, I think I have already described what our feelings are about the proposal for an Indian Ocean peace zone; I do not think this is realistic.