HC Deb 14 June 1951 vol 488 cc2516-7
Mr. Eden

(by Private notice) asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any further statement to make about the situation in Persia.

The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Herbert Morrison)

The delegation from the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company which has gone to Teheran for discussions with the Persian Government has had preliminary interviews with the Persian Prime Minister and certain of his colleagues. Unfortunately, without awaiting the results of the discussions with the Company's representatives in Teheran, a committee consisting of three Persian Government representatives has issued in Abadan a proclamation to the effect that all the staff of the Company are now considered employees of the Persian Government, and has presented certain demands to the Company's general manager in the oilfields.

The demands were that he should hand over, first, the organisation charts of the industry; second, a statement of oil export sales proceeds from the date on which the Persian Oil Nationalisation Law was passed, and third, 75 per cent. of all money received either in Persia or in London on account of sales of oil from the 12th June onwards. The general manager asked for these demands to be put in writing, and said he would refer them to his head office.

His Majesty's Ambassador at Teheran has called the attention of the Persian Government to the possibility that serious disturbances might arise in the oilfields as a result of anti-British propaganda broadcast from Teheran, and will now protest also against the activities of the three-man committee, at which His Majesty's Government are particularly concerned. It is obvious that the discussions in Teheran cannot proceed properly if the atmosphere is vitiated by precipitate Persian action in the oilfields.

Mr. Eden

I think the whole House will concur with the right hon. Gentleman's concluding sentence. May I ask him whether there has been any reply to the representation about propaganda by the Persian Government? Would the Foreign Secretary remind that Government that it is impossible for any company to carry on negotiations such as they themselves have suggested if the negotiations have to be put through in a tirade of villification and abuse which has no foundation in fact whatsoever?

Mr. Morrison

I think the answer to the first part of the right hon. Gentleman's question is in the negative. As to the second part, I fully agree with the point that he has in mind.