§ Mr. Sandysasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps were taken by Her Majesty's Government to convene a conference to fix a date for the independence of South Arabia and to conclude a defence agreement for the protection of the Federation after independence; and what prevented the conference from taking place.
§ Mr. George ThomsonThe circumstances were outlined by my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies in another place on 8th March, 1966. The crucial breakdown was in August, 1965, when the House was in Recess and the circumstances were fully explained in a public statement of 7th August, 1965, by my right honourable Friend the then Secretary of State for the Colonies, a copy of which I am placing in the Library of the House.—[Vol. 273, c. 1008.]
§ Mr. Sandysasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government has approved the Constitutional proposals put forward by Sir Ralph Hane and Sir Gawain Bell for the future of South Arabia; and what steps are being taken to implement them.
§ Mr. George ThomsonThe proposals were commissioned by and made to the Government of the Federation of South Arabia. The question of their approval360W by Her Majesty's Government does not therefore arise. Her Majesty's Government are now awaiting constitutional proposals from the Federal Government arising out of their consideration of the Hane and Bell Report.
§ Mr. Sandysasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what representations have been made by the Governments of the United States of America, Saudi Arabia, and Israel to Her Majesty's Government about the situation which may arise in South Arabia when the British forces are withdrawn.
§ Mr. George ThomsonAs the right honourable Gentleman knows it is not the practice to reveal what confidential diplomatic exchanges take place between Governments nor what their subject matter is.
§ Mr. Sandysasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, before agreeing to the dispatch of the United Nations Mission to South Arabia, he took steps to ensure that it recognised the Federal Government.
§ Mr. George ThomsonIt was agreed in the United Nations before resolution No. 2183 (XXI) was passed on 12th December, 1966, that no preconditions were to be laid on the dispatch of the United Nations Mission to South Arabia. It had previously been made clear by my noble Friend Lord Caradon that the Federal Government were the effective authority in the Federation.
§ Mr. Sandysasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on what dates the British representative at the United Nations has stated that Her Majesty's Government have no power to amend the Constitution of the Federation of South Arabia without the consent of the Federal Government and the Supreme Federal Council.
§ Mr. George ThomsonSuch statements have been made on several occasions and are on record in the letter of the 1st of August from the Acting Permanent United Kingdom Representative at the United Nations to the Secretary-General, the text of which was contained in my right hon. Friend the then Foreign Secretary's reply to the hon. Member for Battersea, South (Mr. Perry) on 5th August last.—[Vol. 733, c.205.]