§ Mr. Whitakerasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs (1) what information he has as to the nationality of the ownership of the oil-tankers which are transporting oil supplies to the illegal Rhodesian régime via Lourenço Marques;
(2) whether he will now prevent oil for the illegal régime in Rhodesia from being unloaded at Lourenço Marques, in the same way as Her Majesty's Government prevented it from being unloaded at Beira.
§ Mr. George ThomsonI have been asked to reply.
Deliveries of oil to Lourenço Marques are of both crude oil and refined products. Given the complexity of the pattern of onward deliveries from Lourenço Marques it is not possible to identify the vessels which deliver to Lourenço Marques the oil, whether crude or refined, which ultimately finds its way to Rhodesia.
109WHer Majesty's ships are preventing the arrival at Beira of vessels reasonably believed to be carrying oil for Rhodesia in pursuance of the Security Council Resolution of 9th April, 1966. Any extension of the sphere of operations is a matter for the Security Council.