Belgian Recruiting In Britain Alleged

Press, Volume C, Issue 29452, 2 March 1961, Page 15

Belgian Recruiting In Britain Alleged

(Rec. 10 pan.) LONDON, March 1. A Labour member, Mrs Barbara Castle, said in the House of Commons today she had “definite evidence” that a Belgian Government official in London had tried to recruit Britons for service in the Congo.

She said the Belgian assistant military attache had been gvving British volunteers the address of the Katanga delegation in Brussels for recruitment “at very high rates of mercenary pay.” After revelation of this tn the press and the tabling of a question by her in the Commons. the Belgian official had been recalled, she said. The Prime Minister. Mr Macmillan, rejected her plea that he protest to the Belgian Government. The Belgians already had dealt with the matter. he said. There were noisy shouts from both sides of the House and Mrs Castle insisted that Mr Macmillan give an assurance that the Belgian official would not be allowed to return to a diplomatic post in Britain. Mr Macmillan replied that the Belgian Government had “threatened judicial proceedings against anybody responsible for trying to recruit for the Katanga bodies in Belgium” In Brussels today, the Belrian Foreign Minister, Mr P.erre Wieny. said Belgians serving with “foreign legion” units in the Coneo were to be “invited” to return to Belgium He was referring to Belgians who. of their own initiative. joined Congolese armses as merrenaries. Mr Wigny also said that “several dozen” Belgian troops stationed at air bases in the Congo as security guards were to be brought back to Belgium “rapidly ” At the United Nations yesterday. the Secretary-General

Mr Hammarskjold, reported that he had sent a sharp Note to Belgium calling for an immediate and effective action to carry out the withdrawal of Belgians Brussels had agreed to some demands but asserted that the resolution did not apply to thousands of Belgians in the Congo as political advisers

The Belgians' reply was regarded as certain to arouse both resentment of AsianAfricans and the Soviet Union Associated Press said. The Soviet Union demanded last Thursday information on what progress was being made on th< Belgian withdrawals. Mr Hammarskjold appealed to all United Nations members not to permit their territories to be used for the departure of mercenaries to the Congo.