HC Deb 15 March 1948 vol 448 cc1685-6
21. Mr. Platts-Mills

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government still considers itself bound by the terms of the Varkiza agreement.

Mr. Mayhew

His Majesty's Government did not sign the agreement and cannot, therefore, be bound by its terms.

Mr. Platts-Mills

In view of the fact that the terms of the agreement between the two parties are, in fact, officially guaranteed by the British Government, can my hon. Friend still persist that we are bound by that guarantee?

Mr. Mayhew

The answer is that we have not signed, and we are not bound by it.

Mr. Cocks

Is it not a fact that the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Bromley (Mr. H. Macmillan) played a distinguished part in the making of the agreement, and that it has been broken by successive Greek governments without any protest being made by the British Government?

Mr. Mayhew

It is certainly true that we facilitated the forming of the agreement, one of the terms of which was that the E.L.A.S. forces should be demobilised.

Mr. Pritt

Would the hon. Gentleman say whether His Majesty's Government still consider themselves bound by their guarantee?

Mr. Mayhew

I do not accept without notice the implication of the guarantee being binding on us.