HC Deb 30 July 1953 vol 518 cc1540-2
The Minister of State (Mr. Selwyn Lloyd)

With your permission, Mr. Speaker, and that of the House I will make a statement on the Treaty of Friendship and Alliance just signed between this country and Libya.

Just over 10 years after the liberation of Cyrenaica, Tripolitania and the Fezzan during the Second World War, I take great pleasure in informing the House of the signature yesterday at Benghazi of a Treaty, and related Military and Financial Agreements, between this country and the United Kingdom of Libya. The texts of these Instruments have today been laid before the House in a White Paper.

Ever since His Majesty King Idris (then Amir of Cyrenaica) became our ally in the recent war, the relationship between the two countries has been close, and it was during our administration of Cyrenaica and Tripolitania that Libyan independence was achieved at the end of 1951, in accordance with United Nations resolutions.

The Treaty provides that Libya will afford us military facilities, and that the United Kingdom will furnish financial assistance in order to help Libya to enjoy financial stability and orderly economic development. The military facilities are set out in a Military Agreement, whereby we are permitted to station British Armed Forces in Libya under conditions agreeable to both parties.

For our part, we have undertaken in the Financial Agreement to provide financial aid for 20 years, the period of all three Instruments, and have agreed to pay during each of the first five years £1 million for economic development and £2¾ million as assistance towards the Libyan budget. A re-assessment will take place at the end of each five-year period.

Provision for the necessary funds will be made annually in the Foreign Office Grants and Services Estimate which will, of course, be subject to Parliamentary approval. Her Majesty's Government propose to ratify the Treaty and Military and Financial Agreements after they have lain before the House for the customary period.

Meanwhile, the Treaty and the Military and Financial Agreements are being put into operation at once, in advance of ratification, in order to preserve continuity during the present financial year. Token provision for this was made in the Supplementary Estimate which was approved last week; and approval will be sought for a specific provision in the next Supplementary Estimate. In the meantime, the necessary payments will be made from the Civil Contingencies Fund.

We believe that this settlement will form a sound basis for continuing and fruitful collaboration between the two countries. It is an arrangement fully consonant with the independence of Libya, consistent with the principles of the United Nations Charter, and, as I believe firmly, a contribution to the peace and security of the area.

Mr. H. Morrison

Naturally, we shall all be examining the matter in further detail in due course. In the meantime, I would only say to the right hon. and learned Gentleman that, in principle, I think this Treaty is one that should commend itself to both sides of the House. I know that it was a subject on which the late Mr. Ernest Bevin worked very hard over the years that he was at the Foreign Office, and I should like to congratulate the right hon. and learned Gentleman on having achieved this Treaty between two United Kingdoms.

Mr. Bellenger

May I ask the right hon. and learned Gentleman whether this is exclusively a Treaty between Libya and ourselves or whether it is envisaged that at any time it will form part of a wider organisation, such as N.A.T.O., for airfields or things of that nature?

Mr. Selwyn Lloyd

At present, the Treaty is one between us and the United Kingdom of Libya, but there is nothing in it inconsistent with a wider development which I think many of us would like to see.