HC Deb 30 June 1954 vol 529 c97W
62. Sir R. Acland

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what were the grounds for Britain's abstention on the United Nations Security Council's vote on 25th June on the question whether to put the discussion of the Guatemalan issue on the agenda on that day.

Mr. Selwyn Lloyd

It was essential to ascertain the facts before the Security Council could decide what action, if any, it should take in the matter. Her Majesty's Government considered that this could be done most quickly through the machinery of the Inter-American Peace Committee which had already decided to send observers immediately to Honduras, Nicaragua and Guatemala.

Her Majesty's Government were prepared for the Council to await the report of these observers before proceeding further, and were anxious to avoid any action that might have prejudiced the valuable initiative of the Organisation of American States.

At the same time, they did not wish in any way to detract from the overriding responsibility of the Security Council in a situation of this sort, and were, therefore, reluctant to register a positive objection to the inclusion of the Guatemalan complaint in the agenda. The United Kingdom Delegate was, therefore, instructed to abstain.

The I.A.P.C. fact-finding Commission left for Mexico City yesterday.