HC Deb 14 February 1951 vol 484 cc380-1
16. Mr. Fitzroy Maclean

asked the secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government have given any further consideration to the proposal that the re-armament of Bulgaria, Hungary and Roumania in defiance of their treaty obligations should be brought before the Security Council; and what decision they have reached in the matter.

Mr. Younger

As my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary informed the hon. Member on 7th February the subject of satellite re-armament has figured in written exchanges between His Majesty's Government and the Soviet Government. He will also recollect that the Prime Minister referred to it in this House on 12th February. As my right hon. Friend pointed out on that occasion, it is hoped that the proposed Four-Power conference would offer an opportunity of reducing the various causes of world unrest and tension. It would, therefore, be premature to bring the question of satellite rearmament before the Security Council at this stage.

Mr. Maclean

Does not the Minister recognise that this represents a direct threat to world peace, and will he take the opportunity of making the policy of His Majesty's Government clear on this point?

Mr. Younger

I thought that it was made quite clear by my right hon. Friend only two days ago in the House, when he said that we take this matter very seriously indeed.

Mr. Eden

Am I right in thinking that it is, therefore, the intention of His Majesty's Government that this item should figure on the agenda of the Four-Power conference?

Mr. Younger

It is certainly one of the matters which we have predominantly in mind, but nothing is yet fixed.

Mr. Eden

Do we want to put it on the agenda?

Mr. Younger

I think I can say that this is one of the matters we wish to have discussed.

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