§ Q99. Mr Ednyfed Hudson Daviesasked the Prime Minister if he is aware that the Total Petroleum Company of France is the source of much of the oil now entering Rhodesia; and what action he proposes to take.
§ The Prime Minister:I am aware that the bulk of Rhodesia's oil supplies come from Lourenço Marques and that the Compagnie Francaise des Petroles suplies Lourenço Marques both with large quantities of crude oil for the refinery and of refined products. I have not heard any suggestion that the Compagnie Francaise des Petroles is suppling direct to Rhodesia. As my hon. Friend will know, a working Party of the Commonwealth Sanctions Committee is at present studying ways and means of making sanctions more effective.
§ Mr. Roebuckasked the Prime Minister whether he will take steps to stop the supply of petrol and oil to Southern Rhodesia by the French Company, Total; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Prime Minister:I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer I gave earlier today to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Conway (Mr. Ednyfed Hudson Davies).
§ Mr. Whitakerasked the Prime Minister (1) what representations he has made to President de Gaulle concerning the supply of oil by the Total Company to the illegal Rhodesian régime;
(2) whether he will represent to President de Gaulle that unless the Total Oil Company ceases to supply the illegal Rhodesian régime forthwith, he will propose that Commonwealth and other African nations should cease to trade with this company.
§ Mr. Juddasked the Prime Minister what representations the Government has made to the French Government concerning the activities of French companies in breaking the sanctions imposed on Rhodesia.
§ The Prime MinisterAs my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary said on 20th November, we keep in touch with the French Government on the question of the implementation of sanctions. These exchanges are of course confidential.
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§ Mr. Whitakerasked the Prime Minister whether he will circulate to heads of Governments a black list of those firms, including Total Oil Company, which are violating sanctions against the illegal Rhodesian régime, with a view to their countries boycotting trade with them until they cease to trade with the illegal régime.
§ The Prime MinisterI would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer I have given today to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Portsmouth, West (Mr. Judd).
§ Mr. Juddasked the Prime Minister it he will make proposals to the Commonwealth and the United Nations for the internationalisation of the supervision and policing of sanctions against Rhodesia and for the internationalisation of the investigation of sanction breaking.
§ The Prime MinisterA Working Party of the Commonwealth Sanctions Committee is at present studying ways and means of making sanctions more effective. I think it is better to await the outcome of their deliberations before considering what further action can usefully be taken in the United Nations.