§ 12. Commander SOUTHBYasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he has any further statement to make regarding the continued negotiations between this country, France and Italy with reference to the naval building programmes of the two latter countries, in view of the breakdown of the agreement supposed to have been reached on the 1st March?
Mr. ALEXANDERI would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply given on the 13th May (OFFICIAL REPORT, columns 1170–2) by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, to which there is nothing to add.
§ Commander SOUTHBYCan the right hon. Gentleman say why he made the categorical statement in this House on 11th March, that complete agreement had been reached on 1st March, and what were the reasons which, led him to make that very definite statement?
Mr. ALEXANDERI made a statement on the 11th March as a result of negotiations in Paris, to which I have nothing to add and from which I have nothing to subtract. An agreement was made on 1st March in Paris, and since then questions of interpretation have been raised which are still the subject of negotiations, and while they are the subject of negotiations I cannot add anything to the reply.
§ Commander SOUTHBYDoes not the right hon. Gentleman realise that that statement was entirely premature?
§ Rear-Admiral BEAMISHCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether these negotiations are still in progress?