§ 11.27 a.m.
§ Lord BROCKWAYMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will propose to the Governments of Greece, Turkey and the United States that a joint investigation be made into the circumstances of the murder of Ann Chapman in Athens in 1971.
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSNo, my Lords. Responsibility for inquiry into the circumstances of the death of Miss Chapman in Greece rests solely with the Greek authorities.
§ Lord BROCKWAYMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware that, at the time of the murder of Miss Chapman, many of us who were concerned rejected rumours that foreign intelligence services were involved. But has not the person who was the Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey at the time of the assassination now provided a prima facie case for investigation? Has he not indicated in his memoirs that Ann Chapman was murdered by the Greek secret service on the instructions of the American CIA? In view of the fact that this girl was a British national, is it not desirable that there should be some investigation into these serious charges?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, it is for the Greek authorities to 1070 decide whether this book, or any other book or document which may appear, retrospectively affects their attitude to this matter, just as it is for any other individual, including my noble friend, to give his own assessment of the position as he sees it. As I see it, it is not for the British Government to intervene in this matter.
§ Lord BROCKWAYMy Lords, does that answer really mean that when a British national is murdered abroad Her Majesty's Government have no responsibility to investigate the circumstances? Could not the Government at least do this: cannot a British citizen who was her adviser and who has the documents which are involved, be asked to volunteer evidence? Cannot he be traced so that the circumstances of this murder may be discovered?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, of course, the British Government and everybody in this country are concerned when a British national meets this kind of tragic fate. But, unless there is any evidence that due process was not followed, it is not for one country to interfere, upbraid and dictate to another country how it shall conduct its investigations and proceedings. There is absolutely no evidence of any such circumstances in this case. I repeat that it is highly improper, on what is known to us, for us to interfere in the processes of another country. It is as improper as it would be for another country to interfere in our own processes in this country.
As to the second point he made, it is for the Greek authorities to consider whether they should call any new witness or recall any witness such as my noble friend has mentioned. If they had difficulty in that and we, as a friendly country in relation to them on these matters, found it possible to help them, we certainly would. But it is an initiative for the Government of the country where the crime was committed.
§ Viscount HANWORTHMy Lords, does the noble Lord not think that after an interval of seven years it is unlikely that any useful purpose would be served by an investigation, even if one were conducted? The people concerned are probably no longer in power and what 1071 happened seven years ago may bear no relation to views that would be taken today.
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSI could not say, my Lords. It may be that an inquiry would commend itself to the Greek Government even after six years, which I think is the time-scale involved here. What I am saying is that it is not, in the circumstances known to us, a matter for the British Government or for any other Government except the Greek Government.
§ Lord NOEL-BAKERMy Lords, may I press the Minister, in spite of what my noble friend has just said, about the lapse of time? Is it not open to the Government, in view of the sinister allegations which have been made, to press the Greek Government to make a full investigation themselves and to publish the results? Is it not in the interests of everybody, including the Greek Government and the United States Government, that the full facts should be known, in view of what has been said?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, I think my noble friend has put it in proper perspective. It may well be, after looking at certain statements now or in the future, that it would seem proper for our Government or perhaps some other Government such as the American Government, to make friendly representations to a friendly Government. I see no reason for this to be done now. However, the book will no doubt be examined and the facts assessed, and the possibility of friendly intimation from one country to another remains. The possibility of intervening or having a "self-starter" investigation into another country's conduct of its own processes is what we cannot do. We can consider what my noble friend has said.