§ 2. Mr. MANDERasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the present position with regard to the Government's negotiations for an embargo on arms to the Far East and South America?
§ Sir J. SIMONThe problem of the export of arms to the Far East is under consideration at Geneva. The position 95 in this respect remains as explained in the reply given to the hon. Member for Westhoughton (Mr. Rhys Davies) on the 29th March.
In regard to the proposal for an arms embargo against Bolivia and Paraguay, the following developments have occurred since the reply which I returned to my hon. Friend's question on this subject on the 8th March. The draft of a declaration to be signed by Governments in favour of this step was discussed by the Council of the League of Nations on the 8th March. Up to the present only 12 Governments (including His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom), have announced their acceptance of the form of this declaration, but as soon as the outstanding replies have been received it is proposed that a further meeting of the Council should be arranged. As regards the Peru-Colombia dispute, I informed my hon. Friend yesterday that efforts are still being made to obtain a settlement on the basis of the League proposals of the 25th February and of the Council's recommendations of the 18th March. In these circumstances the imposition of an arms embargo is not, I understand, at present under discussion at Geneva.
§ Mr. MANDERWill the right hon. Gentleman consider either now or at an appropriate date, the naming of the 12 States which have agreed to the draft embargo?
§ Sir J. SIMONI will do it now. They are the United Kingdom, the Irish Free State, France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Norway, Spain, China, Mexico, Panama, and Guatemala.
§ Mr. T. WILLIAMSCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether the Council are considering a permanent convention which will be applicable to any dispute that may occur in the future, instead of having to wait during the time that non-peaceful operations are taking place?
§ Sir J. SIMONI think the whole question is before, not the Council, but the Disarmament Conference, but the question that I was asked had to do with an embargo on arms to the areas mentioned in the question.
§ Mr. CHARLES WILLIAMSCan my right hon. Friend say if many arms are 96 likely to be exported from China to South America?
§ Colonel GRETTONWith regard to the embargo on the exportation of arms to the Far East, does my right hon. Friend know that at present no country has placed any embargo on such exportation?
§ Sir J. SIMONI think that is so.