The Earl of SELKIRKMy 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 it is now the normal practice of the United Kingdom to recognise Governments which have assumed power by force of arms, without previous consultation with the countries of the Commonwealth or with fellow members of the European Economic Community.
§ The MINISTER of STATE, FOREIGN and COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (Lord Goronwy-Roberts)My Lords, we have frequent consultations about foreign policy matters with our European and Commonwealth partners. But Governments decide questions of recognition for themselves. For us, recognition is a matter of fact, based on standard criteria adopted by successive Governments. A decision to recognise does not imply approval or disapproval of a particular régime, and does not depend on whether it obtained outside help in establishing itself in power.
The Earl of SELKIRKMy Lords, the position is unchanged in our present state of evolution, but if we wish to make a treaty of commerce with, say, Angola or 144 Mozambique, would that not be a matter for the European Economic Community?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, any commercial treaty between us and another country would, of course, come within the ambit of our membership of the EEC.
Lord CHELWOODMy Lords, is it not the policy of the EEC countries to seek to keep in step where the recognition of Governments is concerned, whether a Government come to power by force of arms or by some other method?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSYes, indeed, my Lords. As the noble Lord knows, we had quite exhaustive, if not exhausting, consultations with our friends and partners in the European Community. Indeed, within two days all the nine Member-States of the European Community had recognised Angola.
§ Lord SLATERMy Lords, does my noble friend agree that every successsive Government, upon coming into office, determine their own foreign policy, and that it is the prerogative of Her Majesty's Government at the time not to adopt the policy that has been pursued by the Government previously in power? Why should we have to bow our knee, as it were, to a policy that is operating in, say, France, Italy or anywhere else because we are Members of the European Community? Surely it is paramount that we, as a Parliamentary Government within these Islands, should formulate our own foreign policy.
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSYes, indeed, my Lords; and this is the practice. Every country, and every successive Government within a country, have the right to determine their own foreign policy, and this is the practice in Europe. However, the nine Member-States of the Community are trying, gradually and constructively, to achieve a consensus of approach to the outstanding questions of the day, leaving them, of course, with a right of reservation about whatever they feel is of particular national interest to them.