Nigeria

Oral Answers to Questions — Employment and Productivity – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 27 November 1969.

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Photo of Mr Frank Allaun Mr Frank Allaun , Salford East 12:00, 27 November 1969

asked the Prime Minister if he will take an initiative and approach both General Gowon and General Ojukwu with the aim of ending the Nigerian war.

Photo of Mr Harold Wilson Mr Harold Wilson , Huyton

On ending the war I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary to a Question by him on 17th November. I am discussing what further approach should be made on the question of relief.—[Vol. 791, c. 824.]

Photo of Mr Frank Allaun Mr Frank Allaun , Salford East

Will the Prime Minister at least support the new Swiss move and reject any insistence that only the O.A.U. must solve this problem, because manifestly the O.A.U. has failed?

Secondly, on aid, will my right hon. Friend help Joint Church Aid, because it is known still to be flying in food to the starving children of Biafra?

Photo of Mr Harold Wilson Mr Harold Wilson , Huyton

On the first point. I have never insisted, in so far as this country is in a position to insist on this purely Nigerian question, that mediation should take place by the O.A.U., but I have always thought that it was best fitted to do it.

On the question of the appeal that has been made to the Swiss Government and to certain other European Governments, obviously if they are able to solve the problem we would welcome any initiative which could be taken. But whoever does it will still have to face the problem that the O.A.U. has so far not been able to succeed.

On the second point, as I have said, we are currently discussing what should be done—and urgently—on the question of relief.

Photo of Mr Edward Heath Mr Edward Heath , Bexley

The Foreign Secretary has told the House that the Federal Government are prepared to enter into talks without prior conditions. First, can the Prime Minister say whether this means without any insistence that there should be one Nigeria?

Secondly, as Colonel Ojukwu has publicly said that he will enter into talks without prior conditions, will the Prime Minister explain to the House what is holding up the two sides getting together at the moment?

Thirdly, would it be possible to take the initiative through one of the African countries to see whether a meeting can be brought about through the African system?

Photo of Mr Harold Wilson Mr Harold Wilson , Huyton

We have been in close touch with a large number of African countries, both Commonwealth and otherwise. Only a week or two ago I discussed the question with the Emperor of Ethiopia's Foreign Minister when he was here.

The position for a long time has been —and I so reported to the House last March after my visit there—that the Federal Government have made it plain that they were prepared to sit down without prior conditions. On the other hand, Colonel Ojukwu has felt that to sit down without a cease-fire would be difficult. So far there has been no agreement by the Federal Government to sit down without conditions and at the same time to have a cease-fire. We know the use to which a cease-fire might be put, and I think that is the real difficulty. The Federal Government have said that if there is to be a cease-fire—[Interruption.] —These are very important matters affecting the lives of millions of people. Three questions were put to me by the right hon. Gentleman. I think that he is entitled to a reply, even though his back benchers do not.

The Federal Government have said that if it was a question of a cease-fire they would want to make sure that any talks were meaningful and that, therefore, involved, as they put it, talks on the basis of a United Nigeria.

Photo of David Winnick David Winnick , Croydon South

Will my right hon. Friend consider sending a Minister or a senior official to Biafra to see what can be done to end the deadlock over relief supplies? Is my right hon. Friend aware of the growing concern in Britain over the starvation in Biafra, and the lack of action on our part in ending the deadlock by sending food direct to these people who need it?

Photo of Mr Harold Wilson Mr Harold Wilson , Huyton

I do not accept the strictures in my hon. Friend's last few words. Eighteen months ago I sent Lord Hunt there, and the mercy corridor would have been open ever since if it were not closed at the Biafran end. The same is true in relation to daylight flights, a matter which we pursued when I was there. I assure my hon. Friend that I am well aware of the deep concern in this country, and indeed in all civilised countries, about the malnutrition, starvation and shortage of food in Biafra. The food is there, much of it in Nigeria, and could be driven in in trucks within a matter of hours, or days at the worst. [Interruption.] This is not a laughing matter. If the hon. Gentleman wants to titter in his constituency about starvation, he may do so. I was trying to answer a question from my hon. Friend expressing concern about this matter, a concern which I am sure is shared by 99 per cent. of the House. There is enough food in Cotonou, I think 10,000 tons, which could be flown in there in a matter of days if we had daylight flights. That expresses our concern. We have been trying to get daylight flights established.

I do not rule out sending a Minister or other emissary into the area to see Colonel Ojukwu if we think that that might help.

Photo of Mr John Tilney Mr John Tilney , Liverpool Wavertree

What approach is being made by the Government to the other Powers who are sending arms to both sides to see whether the maximum pressure can be brought to bear on the Federal Government and the rebels to reach some sort of solution?

Photo of Mr Harold Wilson Mr Harold Wilson , Huyton

We have had talks with the French Government and also with the African Commonwealth countries who have recognised so-called Biafra and others who are at any rate fairly neutral about the matter and pressed them to put pressure both on the relief question and on the question of the settlement of the war. As my right hon. Friend has reported to the House, we have talked to the French Government about this and they are considering it.