HC Deb 26 July 1934 vol 292 cc1940-1
62. Mr. MANDER

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether it is intended that the negotiations in connec- tion with the Eastern Mutual Asistance Pact and the Disarmament Conference shall proceed concurrently, with a view to agreements being reached on these two subjects eomtemporaneously?

Mr. EDEN

I think the position was made quite clear in the statement which my right hon. Friend, the Foreign Secretary, made to the House on 13th July. He then explained that, in the view of His Majesty's Government, the conclusion of the proposed Eastern Pact and Germany's participation in the proposed system of reciprocal guarantees would afford the best ground for the resumption of negotiations for the conclusion of a Disarmament Convention such as would provide for a reasonable application of the principle of German equality of rights within a regime of security for all nations.

Mr. MANDER

Do we understand that M. Barthou's statement that the two things have nothing to do with each other is not quite in accordance with the facts?

Mr. EDEN

I cannot answer for M. Barthou.