KOREA (UNITED NATIONS RESOLUTION) (Hansard, 1 February 1951)

HC Deb 01 February 1951 vol 483 cc1082-9 1082

§ The Prime Minister (Mr. Attlee)
With your permission, Mr. Speaker, I should like to make a statement.
I welcome the opportunity to draw the attention of the House to the United States resolution on Korea passed on Tuesday by the Political Committee of the General Assembly of the United Nations.
I said on 23rd January, in my reply to the right hon. Gentleman the Leader of the Opposition, that His Majesty's Government wished to explore every possibility of a negotiated settlement whilst fully recognising the facts of the situation in Korea and the nature of the Chinese intervention there. We did not believe, however, that the time had yet come to consider the adoption of further measures. It was for this reason that we could not have supported the United States resolution in its original form.
Paragraph 2 and paragraph 8 of the resolution in their unamended form were not acceptable to His Majesty's Government. Paragraph 2 noted that the Central People's Government of the 1083 People's Republic of China had rejected all United Nations proposals to bring about a cessation of hostilities in Korea. Paragraph 8 requested a Committee to consider additional measures to be employed to meet the aggression in Korea. It was the view of His Majesty's Government that it was not correct to say that the Chinese Government "had rejected" all United Nations proposals, and as regards paragraph 8 it was our view that it was premature to consider additional measures until the Good Offices Committee, established under paragraph 9 of the resolution, had reported.
After exchanges of view with the Commonwealth Governments and the United States and other Governments, these paragraphs were amended. Paragraph 2 was amended to read that the Chinese Government "had not accepted United Nations proposals" instead of "had rejected all United Nations proposals," and in the case of paragraph 8 an important addition was made. The effect of this addition was to defer consideration by the Assembly of further measures in the event of the Good Offices Committee reporting progress. Thus the essential principle is maintained that the United Nations will continue its efforts to arrange for a peaceful settlement and that there can be no question of the United Nations' proceeding to further measures until it has become apparent that those efforts have failed.
I will, with permission, circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT, copies of the resolution in its unamended and in its amended form.
I would especially call the attention of the House to the final paragraph in the Resolution which affirms that it continues to be the policy of the United Nations to bring about a cessation of hostilities in Korea and the achievement of U.N. objectives there by peaceful means and requests the President of the General Assembly to designate forthwith two persons who would meet with him at any suitable opportunity to use their good offices to this end. It seemed to us that the Resolution in its amended form offered the best hope in existing circumstances of obtaining a settlement by negotiation, and accordingly our representative was instructed to vote in favour of it.
1084 From the close and constant contact which we have maintained with many of the Governments supporting the Resolution, it is clear that they share our view of the importance and urgency of the task entrusted to the Good Offices Committee, and wish to see it begin its work as soon as the Resolution has been approved by the Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly.
The attitude of the United States Government as sponsor of the resolution is of particular importance. In this connection let me recall the statement made by the President of the United States on 25th January in Washington, when he is reported to have said: Let me stress again that the American resolution contains, as all our proposals have contained, a method of bringing about a ceasefire and opening the way for a peaceful settlement of outstanding issues. In the light of that statement and as a result of the close contact which has been maintained between our two Governments we feel confident that the United States Government will give every assistance to the Good Offices Committee in its efforts to promote a peaceful solution.
The United Nations has pointed the way and shown the will for peace. China has much to gain by co-operation and much to lose by withholding it. It is my earnest hope that the Central People's Government of China will respond to any efforts which may be made by the Good Offices Committee to bring about a cease-fire and a negotiated settlement in the Far East.

§ Mr. Churchill
It is rather difficult to follow exactly in detail the full statement which the right hon. Gentleman has made without having the documents referred to paragraph by paragraph before us, and it is not very clear, from what we have heard, what the whole of this statement amounts to. But I presume we are right in assuming that the representatives of His Majesty's Government will vote with the United States on the resolution declaring China to be an aggressor in North Korea—[Interruption]—I am only asking. I would like to know—and that this agreement will be maintained, though after a great deal of discussion, with the United States on these cardinal issues? If that is so we are very glad indeed, and we are particularly relieved to feel that no breach between Great 1085 Britain and the United States, even though concerned with a tangle of words, would occur at such a grave juncture in our joint fortunes.

§ The Prime Minister
In reply to the right hon. Gentleman, I would say that we have already voted in the Political Committee of the United Nations. The vote will then come up in the plenary meeting. I gather that the relation between them is rather like that of a Committee of the whole House in this place and the House sitting. I am quite sure that if the right hon. Gentleman has read, I have no doubt he has, the very admirable speeches made by Sir Gladwyn Jebb at Lake Success, he will have seen very fully the meaning of these resolutions.

§ Mr. A. Fenner Brockway
Is my right hon. Friend aware that there is considerable uneasiness at the support given by the British Government even to the modified form of the resolution to which he has referred—

§ Mr. McAdden
Moscow and Eton.

§ Mr. Brockway
I cannot speak for the former, but I can speak for a very large part of the latter. Can the Prime Minister give us the assurance that the British representative will still act with those representatives in the United Nations, particularly with the representative of India, to bring this issue to a settlement?

§ The Prime Minister
We have throughout all these matters kept in close touch with India and with all our fellows in the Commonwealth, and we shall continue to do so.

§ Viscount Hinchingbrooke
In regard to the point made by the Prime Minister about the desire of His Majesty's Government to bring about an early conclusion of hostilities in Korea, and in view of what happened before, is the right hon. Gentleman in communication with the United States about the movement northward of United Nations Forces in Korea?

§ The Prime Minister
Yes. We are keeping in close touch with them on all these matters.

§ Mr. Sydney Silverman
While very much appreciating the emphasis which my right hon. Friend has laid upon those parts of the resolution which deal with 1086 negotiation and good offices rather than with condemnation and sanctions, might I ask him whether he will bear in mind that for large numbers at any rate, perhaps the majority, of our citizens the vote of this country in condemning as aggression, within the meaning of the United Nations Charter, what China did, does not carry their approval—

Hon. Members
Nonsense.

Mr. Silverman
—that in fact, in the opinion of great numbers of people the Chinese have done nothing there which this country would not have done in the same circumstances—

Hon. Members
Nonsense.

§ Mr. Silverman
—and that the real obstacle to a cessation of hostilities does not lie with the Chinese but elsewhere?

§ The Prime Minister
If the hon. Member is correct—and I do not know what his sources of information are—as to the very large number. I regret that there should be a large number of people who are unacquainted with the basis and the principles of the United Nations, which we are obliged to support.

§ Mr. Chetwynd
As so much will depend upon the work of the Good Offices Committee, can my right hon. Friend give any idea of its proposed composition?

§ The Prime Minister
No, Sir. The Good Offices Committee consists of the President, M. Entezam, and two other persons selected by him.

§ Mr. Mikardo
Surely it is simple commonsense that the passage of this resolution at this time must make the task of the Good Offices Committee more difficult than it would otherwise have been. On these grounds alone, was it not an unwise thing to pass this resolution at this moment, and unwise for our Government to have supported it?

§ Mr. James Hudson
While regretting the fact that the Government have found it necessary to support this resolution regarding the branding of China, and while finding reassurance in the Prime Minister's promise that there will be close association with the United States in an effort to avoid hostilities, may I ask my right hon. Friend whether the Government will continue to use their efforts for an immediate cease-fire, which was the 1087 subject of a special resolution to the United Nations and voted upon? Despite that vote, will the efforts to bring about a cease-fire be persisted in by our Government?

§ The Prime Minister
I think that if my hon. Friend will read the statement I have made, he will see that every endeavour is to be made by the Good Offices Committee to bring about cessation of hostilities. I think the words used in the statement were: a method of bringing about a cease fire and opening the way for a peaceful settlement of outstanding issues. Therefore, the answer is "Yes."

§ Mr. Snow
In view of the fact that, apparently, the official policy of His Majesty's Opposition is to oppose the admission of the de facto Government of China to the Security Council, will my right hon. Friend reaffirm that it is this Government's policy to encourage that admission?

§ The Prime Minister
As our position has been made perfectly clear on that important point, it is, perhaps, not helpful to have further questions on this rather delicate matter.

§ Mr. George Thomas
Would the Prime Minister say whether efforts will be made to secure the association of any Asian countries with this Good Office Committee in seeking a way out?

§ The Prime Minister
I always thought that Persia was an Asian country. M. Entezam of Persia is the President of the Good Offices Committee.

§ Squadron Leader Burden
Is it not obvious that the Government would bring much more pressure to bear to secure peace in Korea if, first of all, they could bring about peace in their own party?

§ Mr. S. Silverman
In view of my right hon. Friend's appeal to the principles of the United Nations Charter, will he confirm that under that Charter only a recognised State can commit aggression, and that, therefore, any study of the Charter required to clarify the principle might preferably be made in those quarters which, at one and the same time, refuse to recognise the Government of China and then condemn it as an aggressor within the meaning of the Charter?

1088

§ The Prime Minister
I do not think it is much use going into the legal niceties today.

§ Following is text of the original United States Resolution tabled before the Political Committee:

§ THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY:

1. Noting that the Security Council because of lack of unanimity of the permanent members has failed to exercise its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security in regard to Chinese Communist intervention in Korea.
2 Noting that the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China has rejected all United Nations proposals to bring about a cessation of hostilities in Korea with a view to peaceful settlement and that its armed forces continue their invasion of Korea and their large scale attacks upon United Nations forces there.
3. Finds that the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China by giving direct aid and assistance to those who were already committing aggression in Korea and by engaging in hostilities against United Nations forces there has itself engaged in aggression in Korea.
4. Calls upon the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China to cause its forces and nationals in Korea to cease hostilities against the United Nations forces and to withdraw from Korea.
5. Affirms the determination of the United Nations to continue its action in Korea to meet the aggression.
6 Calls upon all states and authorities to continue to lend every assistance to the United Nations action in Korea.
7 Calls upon all states and authorities to refrain from giving any assistance to the aggressors in Korea.
8. Requests a committee composed of the members of the Collective Measures Committee as a matter of urgency to consider additional measures to he employed to meet this aggression and to report thereon to the General Assembly.
9. Affirms that it continues to he the policy of the United Nations to bring about a cessation of hostilities in Korea and the achievement of United Nations objectives in Korea by peaceful means and requests the President of the General Assembly to designate forthwith two persons who would meet with him at any suitable opportunity to use their good offices to this end.

§ Text of United States Resolution on Chinese Intervention in Korea adopted in the First (Political) Committee of the General Assembly on 30th January, 1951:

§ THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY:

1. Noting that the Security Council because of lack of unanimity of the permanent members has failed to exercise its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security in regard to Chinese Communist intervention in Korea.
2. Noting that the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China has not accepted United Nations proposals to bring about a cessation of hostilities in Korea with a view to peaceful settlement and that its armed forces continue their invasion of Korea and their large scale attacks upon United Nations forces there.
3. Finds that the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China by giving direct aid and assistance to those who were already committing aggression in Korea and by engaging in hostilities against United Nations forces there has itself engaged in aggression in Korea.
4. Calls upon the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China to cause its forces and nationals in Korea to cease hostilities against the United Nations forces and to withdraw from Korea.
5. Affirms the determination of the United Nations to continue its action in Korea to meet the aggression.
6. Calls upon all states and authorities to continue to lend every assistance to the United Nations action in Korea.
7. Calls upon all states and authorities to refrain from giving any assistance to the aggressors in Korea.
8. Requests a committee composed of the members of the Collective Measures Committee as a matter of urgency to consider additional measures to be employed to meet this aggression and to report thereon to the General Assembly, it being understood that the Committee is authorised to defer its report if the Good Offices Committee referred to in the following paragraph reports satisfactory progress in its efforts.
9. Affirms that it continues to be the policy of the United Nations to bring about a cessation of hostilities in Korea and the achievement of United Nations objectives in Korea by peaceful means and requests the President of the General Assembly to designate forthwith two persons who would meet with him at any suitable opportunity to use their good offices to this end.