HC Deb 23 March 1932 vol 263 cc1028-9
8. Mr. HERBERT WILLIAMS

(for Mr. HANNON) asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs when the Argentine Trade Mission is expected to reach this country; if any arrangements have been made, through conferences or otherwise, to deal with their proposals; and if decisions on all matters affecting Anglo-Argentine trade will be withheld until the close of the Ottawa Conference?

Sir J. SIMON

Inquiries were made by the Argentine Ambassador in December last as to whether His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom would be prepared to receive a commercial mission from Argentina. On the 21st January last the Argentine Ambassador was informed that, while fully appreciating the importance of the relations uniting the two countries and while welcoming any statement of the point of view of the Argentine Government or any suggestions for a possible reciprocal arrangement which they might care to make, His Majesty's Government felt that, as it Is not open to them to enter into any actual discussions with foreign Governments which might prejudice the Ottawa Conference, it would lead to no useful result if 'a special mission were to be sent at the present moment. It was therefore suggested that the despatch of a mission should be deferred, and that any statement or suggestions the Argentine Government might wish to lay before His Majesty's Government for discussion after the Ottawa Conference should be communicated through the Ambassador. No further communications on the subject have been received from the Argentine Government.

Mr. D. GRENFELL

Does the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind the possibility of prejudicing the value of the import trade with the Argentine, and will he also have regard to the trade involved between South Wales and that country?

Sir J. SIMON

We certainly have most fully in mind the importance of the trade between this country and the Argentine, both the trade which passes from this country to the Argentine and the trade which passes from the Argentine to us.

Sir PERCY HARRIS

Is it not a very unfriendly action to refuse a trade mission of this kind from a friendly nation that does a large trade with us?

Sir J. SIMON

I am quite certain that the Argentine Government would be the first to agree that there is nothing unfriendly in our attitude.