TREATIES (OBLIGATIONS OF ASSISTANCE)

HC Deb 27 June 1951 vol 489 cc1369-70

41. Mr. Sorensen

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what are the treaties by which this country is committed to military action or war under certain circumstances; and what are the principal conditions of those treaties.

Mr. H. Morrison

With permission, I propose to circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of these treaties, all of which have been published.

Mr. Sorensen

May I ask whether the information will also show how many of these treaties are subject to periodical revision and how many are permanent?

Mr. Morrison

I think that it is published in the treaties themselves, but I will look into the point my hon. Friend has put to me.

Mr. Sydney Silverman

Would my right hon. Friend consider adding to his list any cases in which this country might be involved in war involuntarily by reason of other circumstances than participation in treaties?

Mr. Morrison

I think the best thing is, when my answer is published, for my hon. Friend to be good enough to look at the treaties when he will be able to judge on that point.

Mr. Rankin

Could my right hon. Friend tell us to what date he proposes to go back in publishing this list of treaties?

Mr. Morrison

The first date is 1373.

Following is the list:

The following treaties, to which His Majesty's Government are a party, contain obligations of assistance:

• The Anglo-Portuguese Treaty, 1373;
• The Anglo-Iraqi Treaty, 1930;
• The Anglo-Egyptian Treaty, 1936;
• The Anglo-Polish Treaty, 1939;
• The Anglo-Turkish Treaty, 1939;
• The Anglo-Soviet Treaty, 1942;
• The Charter of the United Nations, 1945;
• The Anglo-French Treaty, 1948;
• The Brussels Treaty, 1948;
• The Anglo-Transjordanian Treaty, 1948;
• The North Atlantic Treaty, 1949.