§ 103. Mr. Piratinasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on what Article of the United Nations Charter is the projected Atlantic Pact based.
Mr. McNeilThe projected Atlantic Pact does not require to be based on any article of the United Nations Charter any more than does any other treaty or international agreement. It only requires to be consistent with the general purposes of the Charter and not to be contrary to any specific article of the 1600 Charter. His Majesty's Government have every intention of ensuring that these requirements are fulfilled.
§ Mr. PiratinIs the Minister telling the House that the Atlantic Pact is outside the terms of the United Nations Charter?
Mr. McNeilNot at all. I have repeatedly made it plain, on behalf of His Majesty's Government, that the proposed pact will not conflict with the Charter or with the intention of it.
§ Mr. WarbeyIf the proposed pact is a regional security arrangement, why does it not conform to the Charter, which lays down conditions for regional security pacts?
§ 105. Mr. Warbeyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will give an assurance that no commitment to automatic belligerency or to military action will be accepted under the proposed Atlantic Pact which is not also accepted by all the other nations which are parties thereto.
Mr. McNeilAs I informed my hon. Friend the Member for South Ayrshire (Mr. Emrys Hughes) on 14th February, no Government involved in the discussions on the North Atlantic Pact has yet committed itself to any military obligations. My hon. Friend may rest assured that the point he has made is borne in mind by His Majesty's Government.
§ Mr. WarbeyWhile thanking my right hon. Friend for that reply, may I ask whether it replaces the reply given by the Foreign Secretary to the hon. Member for Norwood (Mr. Chamberlain) last Wednesday week, when he was unable to give assurances that this country would not be committed to automatic belligerency in the event of war between the United States and the Soviet Union?
§ 106. Mr. Emrys Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs when the treaty providing for collaboration and mutual assistance with the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics terminates; and whether he will give an assurance that he will not sign the Atlantic Pact until he is satisfied that such action is not a breach of our agreement under the treaty signed in London on 26th May, 1942.
Mr. McNeilArticle VIII of the Anglo-Soviet Treaty of 1942 provides that it shall remain in force for a period of 20 years. Thereafter, unless 12 months' notice has been given by either party, it shall continue in force until 12 months after either party shall have given notice of his intention to terminate it.
My right hon. Friend is not prepared to discuss in advance the terms of a treaty, negotiations for which are still in progress, but the House can be assured that His Majesty's Government will never be party to any pact of aggressive intention, and that they can be satisfied that defensive arrangements under the United Nations Charter in no way constitute a breach of the Anglo-Soviet Treaty of 1942.
§ Mr. HughesIs the Minister aware that article VII of the treaty says that each high contracting party undertakes not to conclude any alliance and not to take part in any coalition against the other high contracting party? Will he assure the House that no steps will be taken under the Atlantic Pact which are a breach of article VII of that treaty?
Mr. McNeilI can assure the House that it will not be a breach of article VII nor of any allied article, because the proposed pact is completely defensive in intention and character.