§ 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 what conclusions were reached at the United Nations conference in Mozambique on the situation in Southern Africa and what contribution the British delegation made to the discussions.
§ The MINISTER of STATE, FOREIGN and COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (Lord Goronwy-Roberts)My Lords, I have arranged to have placed in the Library of the House a copy of the speech delivered by my honourable friend the joint Minister of State to the Maputo conference on 2 17th May. This sets out clearly the Government's policy on Rhodesia and Namibia. The conclusions of the conference are contained in the final conference report, and I shall arrange for copies of this to be put in the Library of the House as soon as we receive them.
§ Lord BROCKWAYMy Lords, I thank the Minister for that reply. Is it not the case that one of the decisions taken was that economic pressure on Rhodesia should be intensified? Furthermore, in view of the fact that there now exists the last chance of a negotiated peace, is it not desirable that, in order to balance military intervention from other sources, there should be increased economic pressure from our country, including the banning of all oil supplies? In addition to the investigation which is being made into British companies, would the Minister approach the American Government with a view to stopping the supply of oil from the multinational companies there?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, the question of economic sanctions is, of course, under constant review by this country in concert with its partners in the United Nations, and it was further considered at this particular conference. I welcome very much what my noble friend has said about the need for a negotiated peace; indeed, we sent my honourable friend to this conference once more to make it clear that it is the view 3 of the British Government that a fair and durable solution of the problems of Southern Africa can be achieved only through negotiation and not by armed struggle. As to the point that my noble friend made about oil, I think that we should leave it where it is now; that is, under investigation by an official appointed by Her Majesty's Government. I note what my noble friend has said about keeping in touch with the United States on this matter.
§ Lord CARADONMy Lords, will my noble friend agree with those of us at the Maputo conference who came clearly to the conclusion that it is the refusal of the South African Government to carry out their international obligations which is the main source of the continuing dangers in Southern Africa? Would he agree that this country, which has provided the main source of financial support for the South African Government, has a clear obligation to insist that the South African Government should meet their international obligations in respect of Rhodesia and Namibia?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, I would agree with my noble friend that it is necessary for this Government now and in the future, as in the past, to exert every possible pressure and persuasion on the South African Government to play their full part in the resolution of these problems. I entirely agree with him; the South African Government have a major role to play in creating the situation in which a peaceful solution of the Rhodesian and the Namibian (the South West African) position can be achieved.
§ Lord CARRINGTONMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware that most people in your Lordships' House do not believe that the right way to solve the problems of Southern Africa is by force? Does he agree that there should be much more emphasis on that belief in the Statements made by Her Majesty's Government?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, I do not think that I quite understood what the noble Lord, Lord Carrington, was saying. I am sure that he did not mean to suggest that at any 4 time Her Majesty's Government's spokesmen in this House or in the other place, or in fact anywhere, have extolled the use of force in settling these very difficult problems. On the contrary, we have repeatedly said—I have just said it myself—that we do not see a lasting and fair solution for these problems emanating from the use of what is called armed struggle. Rather we have worked, and are still working, very hard indeed for a negotiated peace, a negotiated solution, both in Rhodesia and in South West Africa.
§ Lord BALFOUR of INCHRYEMy Lords, I should like to ask the Minister whether our representative at the conference mentioned by the noble Lord, Lord Brockway, took the opportunity of once again condemning raids by any party involving murder and destruction of property in another country's territory? Will our representative express understanding regarding the situation when Rhodesian forces enter another territory in order to destroy the centres of that destruction?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, this is, of course, two-way traffic, and Her Majesty's Government have repeatedly said that they do not agree with what is called hot pursuit into another country. This applies both to Rhodesian forces and to those with whom they are in conflict. I do not see that any other basis for Her Majesty's Government's attitude is possible. I cannot tell whether or not my noble friend said at the conference precisely what the noble Lord stated, but I am quite sure that on every possible occasion in Maputo he, and representatives of this Government, have taken every opportunity of making it absolutely clear that we do not condone what is called the armed struggle. We may understand the reasons for it, but never condone it.
Lord HAWKEMy Lords, did this conference reach any conclusions on the situation in Mozambique, which from all accounts is absolutely chaotic?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, I have no doubt that the discussions at this conference ranged all over Southern Africa. Whether they dealt specifically with the internal situation in Mozambique, I am in no position to say.