§ Mr. Eden (by Private Notice)asked the Prime Minister whether he has a statement to make with reference to President Truman's announcement about defence arrangements in the Pacific.
§ Mr. H. MorrisonI have been asked to reply. The House will have seen the statement made by President Truman yesterday regarding the arrangement proposed between the Governments of the United States of America, Australia and New Zealand to strengthen the security of these countries in the Pacific area. His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, who have throughout been in the closest consultation with the Governments of Australia and New Zealand, warmly welcome this development. They consider that such an arrangement will be a most valuable contribution to the security of the Commonwealth and to the safeguarding of the vital interests of the democratic countries in the whole Pacific area.
The United Kingdom Government regard the arrangement as complementary to the understandings of mutual support and co-operation between our own country, Australia and New Zealand. We are confident that it will serve to strengthen still further the close and special relationship which exists between our three countries.
§ Mr. EdenWhile I imagine that the House would welcome any arrangement which leads to greater security in the Pacific, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman about our own position; whether the question of our joining in this arrangement was considered, more particularly since we are, of course, a Pacific Power with heavy responsibilities there, and since any threat to either Australia or New Zealand must always be calculated as a threat to our own country?
§ Mr. MorrisonWe are most certainly a Pacific Power and it would not have been unwelcome to us if we had been included in the proposed pact—[HON. MEMBERS: "Oh"]—I said it would not have been unwelcome. But the discussions did not so work out and it is quite clear that they will not so work out. I would like to add that His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom are, 2008 nevertheless, entirely satisfied that Australia and New Zealand should represent the interests of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth as a whole. After all, this is in accordance with the modern principle of Commonwealth co-operation, in which Commonwealth countries take the lead in the area in which they are situated on behalf of the Commonwealth as a whole. In the same way, for example, the United Kingdom and Canada represent the interests of the Commonwealth in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. The House will recall that the Australian and New Zealand Governments made an announcement welcoming this situation when the North Atlantic Treaty arrangements were first made public.
§ Mr. EdenWhile, obviously, we welcome the initiative taken by Australia and New Zealand, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he will see whether an opportunity can be created for us to be associated with this, more particularly since our Malayan interests make us essentially a Pacific Power?
§ Mr. MorrisonThe House should be under no misapprehension. This does not in any way prejudice the close relationship between the United Kingdom and Australia and New Zealand, or our desire to be mutually helpful to each other in the case of trouble. I will bear in mind the view of the right hon. Gentleman, but we are, of course, dealing not only with the United States of America, which is an independent nation; we have to face the fact that Australia and New Zealand are independent nations as well, associated with the Commonwealth.
§ Brigadier HeadIn view of this pact, will the Foreign Secretary say whether it means that, regarding defence, Australia and New Zealand will have discussions with America? Will it also mean an increased share in the defence of Malaya and their participation in Far East defence?
§ Mr. MorrisonWith regard to Malaya, it is not yet clear what the final effect of the proposed arrangements may be. I understand that the intention is that this should be a Pacific defence arrangement, and as such it would have an oceanic character and exclude the general area of South-East Asia. Our hope is that one day it may be possible to arrange for 2009 Malaya to be covered by appropriate security arrangements interlocking with the Pacific defence system now under discussion, but Malaya is not actually within the field of the present discussion.
§ Mr. Emrys HughesCan the right hon. Gentleman assure us that this will not involve us in a war over Formosa?
§ Mr. MorrisonI think that sometimes the imagination of my hon. Friend goes a bit far.
§ Mr. Duncan SandysCan the Foreign Secretary say whether His Majesty's Government specifically asked that Great Britain should be included in this arrangement, or whether we merely waited to be invited and have accepted the fact that we have not been invited to this important organisation?
§ Mr. MorrisonThat does not represent the true Commonwealth spirit—[HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."] I have indicated what His Majesty's Government would have been willing and pleased to do, and I am not going to be tempted into the field of perfectly needless controversy between ourselves and Australia and New Zealand.
§ Mr. SandysThe right hon. Gentleman said he has "indicated." What does he mean? Did he ask or did he not ask?
§ Commander NobleThe Foreign Secretary has told us that the Government would like to have been in this pact. Could he amplify that a little more and say why we are not?
§ Mr. MorrisonI say again that it would not have been unwelcome to us, but I am not going to take a course, in answering supplementary questions, that will involve us in friction with Commonwealth countries.
§ Mr. Somerset de ChairIn view of the fact that the United Kingdom has the preponderant part of the naval power of the British Commonwealth, and has direct control over the Singapore base and Hong Kong, with the Colonial Office, would it not be quite impracticable for the United Kingdom to be omitted from any defence pact in the Pacific?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydIn view of the astonishing statement made by the right hon. Gentleman, may I ask whether he 2010 recollects the recent words of the Australian Minister of Defence: that if the United Kingdom is not prepared to take the lead, the Dominions must do it for her? Is this, in fact, what has happened?
§ Mr. MorrisonThat and other supplementary questions betray a complete lack of understanding of modern Commonwealth relationships. I can only say again that I am not going to be provoked by Members of the Opposition into observations calculated to impair the relationship between ourselves and Australia and New Zealand.
§ Mr. PatonMay I ask, my right hon. Friend if, in view of the enormously far-reaching and long-term implications of the arrangement now being made, we are still in consultation with the three Powers concerned, and if there is a possibility that in the end we shall be associated in a general consultation?
§ Mr. MorrisonWe are always in consultation with the three Powers concerned, but I say to my hon. Friend, as I say to the Opposition, that our conception of the Commonwealth is—
§ Mr. StewardThat it ought to be liquidated. [Laughter.]
§ Mr. Morrison—distinct from that of some hon. Members opposite—[HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]—as can be heard. Some of their conception is part of the old imperialist colonial spirit. I must make it absolutely clear that our conception—[HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."]—I suppose the House will listen to me—is that each Commonwealth country is an equal and must be so dealt with.
§ Mr. EdenWhile there is no dispute about the right of any Commonwealth country to act as it wills or desires, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he will consider whether, in view of the fact that no Pacific pact can really be effective that does not include South-East Asia, it would not be possible to see if the conversations cannot be reopened to cover South-East Asia so that Britain can have her place in it?
§ Mr. MorrisonAll these points have been considered. I am bound to reply to the right hon. Gentleman that that is' not a practical course at this stage.
§ Mr. SpeakerWe have a lot of business before us and we have not nearly got through the Private Notice Questions yet. Then we have an important debate.