HC Deb 10 June 2003 vol 406 c806W
Jeremy Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (I) what investigation the UK representative to the UN supported into the conduct and operation of the 1969 Act of Free Choice in West Papua; and if he will make a statement;[117697]

(2) what papers are held by his Department on the 1969 Act of Free Choice in West Papua whose publication has been withheld under the Seventy Five Year rule. [117698]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

There has been no UN or UK investigation into the conduct and operation of the 1969 Act of Free Choice beyond the observation of the UN Secretary General's Special Representative. In November 1969 the UN General Assembly discussed the Report of the Special Representative who oversaw the implementation of the Act of Free Choice. A Resolution was adopted to take note of the Report and the fulfilment of the responsibilities of the Secretary General under the 1962 Dutch/Indonesian Agreement. The Resolution, sponsored by Belgium, Luxembourg, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Thailand, and Indonesia was supported by the United Kingdom. 84 member states voted in favour, none against and 30 abstained.

All identifiable papers on the incorporation of Papua (West Irian) into Indonesia have been released with the exception of extracts from a 1969 Research Department memorandum which contain marginal references to security and intelligence material; the substance of the memorandum has been released.