HC Deb 24 February 1943 vol 387 c139
1. Mr. Price

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any steps are being taken to promote greater political and economic co-operation between the Arab States of the Middle East, with a view to the ultimate creation of an Arab Federation?

The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Eden)

As they have already made plain, His Majesty's Government would view with sympathy any movement among Arabs to promote their economic, cultural or political unity. But clearly the initiative in any scheme would have to come from the Arabs themselves, and so far as I am aware no such scheme, which would command general approval, has yet been worked out.

Mr. Cocks

Would the right hon. Gentleman consider sending to the Middle East the very best men that the Foreign Office can command, for the purpose of getting together these Arab States? It is a very important problem that might involve the future of Palestine.

Mr. Eden

I think we are very well represented in these countries, but, as the hon. Gentleman knows, the whole problem is a complicated one of individual national views.