§ Mr. Ednyfed Hudson Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, in view of the fact that the Nigerian Federal Government's offer to allow daylight flights in Biafra has not been examined in detail and that the refusal by Colonel Ojukwu has been un-specific, whether he will now draw up detailed proposals for daylight flights with specific guarantees that they will not constitute a military threat to Biafra; and if he will submit these both to the Federal Government and the Biafran authorities.
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§ Mr. FoleyThe Federal Government have on several occasions proposed arrangements for daylight relief flights and its willingness to agree to these was reaffirmed in the joint communiqué issued in Lagos on 16th December at the end of the visit by my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. But the Federal Government's proposals have not so far been accepted by Colonel Ojukwu, no doubt because they involve the use of his principal airstrip and might interfere with his supplies of arms. The International Committee of the Red Cross has so far failed to persuade Colonel Ojukwu to agree to daylight flights despite several efforts to do so. Her Majesty's Government fully support the Committee's efforts and hope that in the interests of those in the area under Colonel Ojukwu's control it may be possible for early agreement on daylight flights to be obtained.