§ 9. Brigadier Raynerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will consider withdrawing the United Kingdom's representative from the Paris Conference of Deputies in view of the time wasted and the meagre results achieved.
§ 14. Mr. Emrys Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to what extent our representative at the recent Paris Conference objected to the question of American bases for possible bombing operations against the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics being included in the agenda for the proposed conference of Foreign Ministers; and on what grounds his objections were based.
§ Mr. H. MorrisonThe situation created by the Soviet Government's unfavourable response to the Western Powers' invitation to a meeting of the four Foreign Ministers in Washington on 23rd July is at present under consideration by the United Kingdom, United States and French Governments. In the circumstances, I do not think it would be wise for me to make any statement at this juncture.
§ Brigadier RaynerAlthough we all recognise that we are dealing with an Eastern Power and that negotiation over 987 coffee and vodka must necessarily be rather long, has not this "schimozzle" gone on altogether too long? In view of the fact that the moment they desire to have a high level conference the Soviet Government can arrange one in double quick time, will the right hon. Gentleman say what possible profit we can have from continuing to subscribe to this Paris bottle party?
§ Mr. HughesWill not the Foreign Secretary agree that it is a very reasonable request by the Government of the U.S.S.R. that bombing bases from which atom bombers might go to bomb Moscow and other towns of the U.S.S.R. should be put on any agenda; otherwise a conference will be no use?
§ Mr. MorrisonI really wish my hon. Friend could stretch his imagination so far as to realise that there may be bombing bases the other way round.
§ Mr. HughesI do.
§ Mr. MorrisonIf my hon. Friend could take account of British as well as Russian interests it would be a welcome development.
§ Viscount HinchingbrookeWould it not be right and appropriate, and also go a long way to eliminate the so-called Russian propaganda advantage at the present moment, if the three Western Powers were to accept the Soviet demand for the inclusion of the American bases as a specific item of the conference agenda, but at the same time insist that as another item there should be included the present level of Soviet armaments and the armaments of the satellite powers?
§ Mr. MorrisonThat is a possible line of exploration. I notice the combination here. On the other hand, one really must make up one's mind whether one wants a conference to do effective work for the development of the peace of the world, or whether one merely wants a debating assembly.
§ Mr. HughesIs the Foreign Secretary aware that I am not concerned with Russian interests? [HON. MEMBERS: "Oh!"] My interests are the interests of this country and of humanity. I am taking the same attitude now as the right hon. Gentleman took in the 1914–18 war.
§ Mr. MorrisonI follow my hon. Friend's counter-offensive perfectly. I only say that when he talks about bombing bases he might bear in mind that there are more bombing bases than are to be found in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. HughesI have done so.
§ Mr. MorrisonMy hon. Friend did not say so.