HC Deb 29 July 1946 vol 426 c497
9. Mr. David Eccles

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement regarding the negotiations for a revision of the Tangier Statute.

Mr. Noel-Baker

In the spring of this year, in accordance with the Final Act of the Conference held in Paris last summer, the French Government inquired of the Governments of the United States of America, Soviet Union and the United Kingdom whether they desired to hold a new conference to consider the revision of the Statute of Tangier. All the Governments agreed that, for the time being, the conference should not be called.

Mr. Eccles

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that some of the discreditable features of the pre-civil war régime are coming back, and that it would be in the interests of the inhabitants of Tangier to revise this Statute?

Mr. Noel-Baker

I do not think that anybody denies the desirability of ultimate revision, but Governments have a good deal to do at the moment and perhaps it would be better to deal with this later on.