§ 64. Mr. Wallasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why the United Kingdom delegate to the special committee of the General Assembly of the United Nations considering the operation of race conflict in South Africa voted with France and Portugal against the resolution which was supported by sixty-seven other countries, in view of the fact that all other Commonwealth countries either abstained or voted in favour of the resolution.
§ Mr. ProfumoHer Majesty's Government's attitude on this matter rests entirely on their consistent regard for the importance of Article II (7) of the Charter, which states that the United Nations does not have the right to intervene in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of Member States.
It was for this reason that the United Kingdom representative voted against the resolution, which referred to the internal policies of a particular Government.
Since this was a vote in defence of the Charter, the United Kingdom representative voted as he did quite independently of considerations such as which countries might be voting the same way.
§ 65. Mr. Stonehouseasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will propose to the United Nations Organisation the setting-up of a special commission to consider the problem of white minority races in Southern Africa.
§ Mr. ProfumoNo.