Financial Agreement (Suspension) (Hansard, 10 July 1946)

§ 7. Mr. Warbey
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why the ratification by His Majesty's Government of the recent Anglo-Polish financial agreement has been suspended.

Mr. Noel-Baker
As my hon. Friend is aware, when His Majesty's Government recognised the Polish Provisional Government, they did so on the strength of an undertaking by the Polish Provisional Government that free and unfettered elections would be held in Poland as soon as possible on the basis of universal suffrage and secret ballot, and that all democratic and anti-Nazi parties should have the right to put forward candidates. During the Potsdam Conference, President Bierut renewed this pledge, and assured my right hon. Friend that the elections would be held in the spring of 1946 and in accordance with the Polish Constitution of 1921.No electoral law has, however, yet been issued, and no date has yet been fixed for the elections. Before the Financial Agreement, signed on 24th June, is ratified, His Majesty's Government wish to be assured that the Polish Provisional Government will carry out their undertaking; and the Polish Government were so informed when the Agreement was made.

§ Mr. Warbey
Why was the agreement signed at all, if the Government had these political considerations in mind? Can my right hon. Friend also say whether it was a matter of mere coincidence that the American State Department on almost the same day suspended a loan to Poland—or is this another example of parallel diplomacy?

Mr. Noel-Baker
On the latter point, certainly there was in this case no coordination of action with the United States Government I am not quite sure that my hon. Friend is right about the action which he says the United States Government took. I am afraid I have forgotten his first point.

§ Mr. Warbey
I asked why the Government signed the agreement at all if they had those political considerations in mind.

Mr. Noel-Baker
We signed the agreement because we had reached with the Polish Provisional Government a settlement which we thought was generous, and we desired, by signing the agreement, to show our good will towards the Polish nation and our hope that the agreement would soon be ratified.

§ Mr. Pritt
Has the right hon. Gentleman's Department considered the sober fact that there is £4 million in gold involved here which belongs to the Polish Government? Will he contrast this action with the conduct of the former Government, who handed over the Czechs' gold to Hitler because they said it technically belonged to him?

§ Major Guy Lloyd
What has the present Provisional Government done to earn that gold?

Mr. Noel-Baker
I hope and believe that in many ways the present Provisional Government are making progress towards the stabilisation of the country. Perhaps I may say, in reply to the hon. and learned Member, that I am not here to defend the régime of Colonel Beck.

§ Mr. Sydney Silverman
Have His Majesty's Government any information that there are, operating in Poland now, terrorist gangs whose object is to overthrow the existing Government and State, if they can? Will he say what the Government are doing to——

§ Mr. Speaker
The question put to the Minister relates to a financial agreement and not to terrorist gangs.

Mr. Noel-Baker
Perhaps, Mr. Speaker, you will permit me to say that we are aware that there are terrorist bands in Poland and that we condemn in the strongest possible manner any private use of armed violence.