§ 72. Colonel WEDGWOODasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the negotiations with Russia have broken down because His Majesty's Government refuse to allow Litvinoff to come to England and the rest of the Russian delegation refuse to come without him; and whether this was foreseen when the Foreign Office concluded to exclude Litvinoff?
Mr. HARMSWORTHThe answer to the first part of the question is that negotiations have been temporarily suspended, but there has been no definite rupture.
It was not anticipated that the Soviet Government would allow a minor issue of this nature to stand in the way of the resumption of commercial relations. In any case the decision of His Majesty's Government in the case of Monsieur Litvinoff was taken solely on its own merits.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODIs it not rather unusual to refuse to receive the delegates they send?