§ Lord BARNBYasked Her Majesty's Government:
(a) Whether they can indicate the amount of the claim presented to the United Nations by Portugal representing alleged damages to Portuguese interests arising from United Nations action towards Rhodesia; and (b) what advantage arises from the cost to the public of the continued operation of the Beira Patrol.
§ Lord SHEPHERDThe Portuguese Government informed the Secretary-General of the United Nations in a letter dated the 20th March, 1968, that, as a result of measures carried out in accordance with Security Council resolutions, Mozambique had suffered losses estimated at about £17 million sterling up to the end of 1967.
With regard to the continued operation of the Beira Patrol, as my noble friend Lord Winterbottom pointed out on the 16th October, 1968, this operation is being carried out in accordance with a resolution of the Security Council of the United Nations of the 9th April, 1966. As a result of the Patrol's activities no crude oil is reaching Rhodesia through Beira and the refinery at Umtali is closed. Although Rhodesia has succeeded in obtaining oil products by other routes, these are costly and inconvenient to her.