§ 7. Mr. Manderasked the Prime Minister whether in the course of the recent staff conversations between representatives of Great Britain and France, the necessary arrangements were made for the joint defence, if necessary, of Nice, Corsica, and Tunis?
§ The Prime MinisterI am not able to add anything to the general statement which I made in reply to the hon. Member on 30th March.
§ Mr. ManderIs it not very important for France to know whether this country is going to stand by her if Corsica and Tunis are attacked? Should the Prime Minister not say definitely, one way or the other, what our attitude is going to be?
§ 11. Mr. A. Hendersonasked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the fact that His Majesty's Government were a signatory of the 1923 Convention affecting British citizens in Tunis, and the provisions of the Anglo-Italian Agreement safeguarding the status quo in the Mediterranean, His Majesty's Government will represent to the Italian Government that 1971 aggression against Tunis will not find this country disinterested?
21. Mr. Vyvyan Adamsasked the Prime Minister whether he will give an assurance that His Majesty's Government will regard as an act unfriendly to Great Britain an attack by Italy upon any of the possessions of our ally the French Republic?
§ 27. Sir Percy Harrisasked the Prime Minister whether it is the intention of His Majesty's Government to treat Annex of the Anglo-Italian Agreement of 26th April, which deals with the maintenance of the status quo in the Mediteranean, as applying to the French protectorate over Tunis; and whether he has made it quite clear that this country will resist any attempt to alter that position at the expense of France?
§ The Prime MinisterIn the view of His Majesty's Government, the undertaking to respect the status quo in the Mediterranean, as embodied in the Anglo-Italian Agreement, certainly applies to Tunis, and any action which was contrary to the agreement would, of course, be a matter of grave concern to His Majesty's Government. They cannot, however, contemplate the possibility of such an attack as is suggested in these questions.
§ Mr. A. HendersonIn view of the fact that the Italian Press are stating that this country is sympathetic to the Italian claims, will a copy of that reply be conveyed to the Italian Government?
Mr. V. AdamsIn view of the identity of interests which exists between the two Western democracies, would not the safety of both be promoted by a full, formal defensive alliance?