§ 5. Mrs. Castleasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is yet in a position to make a fuller statement on the progress of truce talks in Korea.
§ Mr. Selwyn LloydThe armistice delegates are continuing to meet in plenary session, but no progress has been made since my right hon. Friend's statement of 7th May.
§ Mrs. CastleCan the right hon. and learned Gentleman tell the House whether the only outstanding difficulty is the question of the exchange of prisoners of war? If so, does he not think it is extremely serious that the possibility of peace in Korea should be held up by a matter on which there is so much confusion? Will he give a full report?
§ Mr. LloydAccording to my information it is correct that that is the matter that is holding up the conclusion of an armistice at the present time. With regard to that matter, I do not think I can do better than to read the words of my right hon. Friend that
The United Nations Command will, as always, be ready to carry on the meetings with the Communist negotiators and ready to continue the search for acceptable terms for an armistice; but it must be clearly understood that the United Nations Command will not agree to force prisoners of war to be repatriated against their will."—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 7th May, 1952; Vol. 500, c. 388.]That was an expression of opinion with which the right hon. Gentleman the Leader of the Opposition agreed at the time.
§ Mr. ShinwellCan the right hon. and learned Gentleman say whether we are consulted in these armistice talks? Are we represented in the discussions? To what extent are we made acquainted with what is going on?
§ Mr. LloydIt is correct that we are acquainted, and we are informed of what is going on. In fact, I think the machinery of consultation is very much the same as when the right hon. Gentleman was in office.
§ Mr. ShinwellSurely some progress is being made in these discussions. Is it not desirable that we should be represented in the discussions by somebody on the spot?
§ Mr. LloydThat is a quite different matter from the one which is on the Order Paper, and if the right hon. Gentleman will be good enough to put it down as a Question I shall consider what answer could be given.
§ Mrs. CastleIf the difficulty arises from the fact that a large number of prisoners of war are so passionately anti-Communist that they do not want to be repatriated, why are they still prisoners of war?
§ Mr. LloydIf the United Nations Command were to release these people I think there would be even greater difficulties.