§ 41. Mr. Warbeyasked the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs how many British nationals are serving with the mercenary brigades in the Congo; how many of them have terminated their 213W service contracts with British armed forces; and how many have deserted from such contracts.
§ Mr. George ThomsonHer Majesty's Government have no accurate information about the number of British nationals serving with the Congolese National Army, nor do they know how many of them are ex-members of Her Majesty's Forces. We believe, however, that only a relatively small number of these volunteers are British from the United Kingdom. The majority are Southern Rhodesians or South Africans.
§ 42. Mr. Warbeyasked the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the steps taken by Her Majesty's Government to comply with the Security Council resolutions calling for the withdrawal of all foreign mercenaries from the Congo.
§ Mr. George ThomsonThere have been no Security Council Resolutions calling for the withdrawal of foreign mercenaries from the Congo since that of 24th November, 1961, when the situation was quite different from that which exists today. The mercenaries employed at that time by the secessionist Government of Katanga were fighting the forces of the legal Central Government of the Congo, with which we had relations, and the forces of the United Nations. So far as I am aware, it has not been argued that the Security Council resolutions of 1961 are applicable to the present situation. Her Majesty's Government believe, however, that the future of the Congo ought to be settled by the Congolese themselves, with the assistance of other African States.