§ 2.45 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 five Western members of the United Nations Security Council (the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France, West Germany and Canada) have presented a joint note to the Prime Minister of the Republic of South Africa stating their view on the constitutional future of Namibia (South West Africa), and if so, what were the contents of the note.
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, the Five Western members of the Security Council delivered a joint démarche on Namibia to the South African Prime Minister on 7th April. The text of this démarche remains confidential, but in general it concentrated on the urgent need to fulfil the requirements for an early and peaceful settlement which will lead to independence for Namibia on a basis which will meet international acceptance.
§ Lord BROCKWAYMy Lords, did the note include the proposal that there should be a general election in Namibia before an interim Government is established, with the United Nations given power to supervise? Also, in view of the report of the discussion in Namibia yesterday, is there not now the hope of a solution being reached along those lines?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, I would join with my noble friend in the hope expressed towards the end of his supplementary. As to the first part, the requirements laid down in the Security Council Resolution 385 of January 1976 were adopted unanimously. We acted on that basis. They include, as my noble friend reminds us, territory-wide free elections to be carried out under international supervision in which all 240 political Parties, including the South-West Africa Peoples Organisation (SWAPO), can participate.