HC Deb 02 August 1961 vol 645 cc185-6W
79. Mr. A. Henderson

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will make a statement on the recent meeting of the Security Council dealing with the Tunisian complaint against France about Bizerta.

Mr. Heath

After some debate on 28th July the Security Council reassembled on the 29th to consider three draft resolutions about the situation in Bizerta. Two were sponsored by Ceylon, Liberia and the United Arab Republic, of which the first invited France to comply immediately with the terms of the interim resolution of 22nd July; the second invited France to enter immediately into negotiations aimed at the speedy evacuation of her forces from Tunisia. Both these resolutions received four votes. Six members of the Council (including the United Kingdom) abstained and the resolutions therefore failed.

The third draft resolution, sponsored by Turkey, called for an immediate and full implementation of the resolution of the 22nd of July. It received six votes (including the United Kingdom's) which is one short of the necessary majority.

The Liberian representative said that in these circumstances he would seek a special session of the General Assembly.

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