§ 36. Mr. G. Jegerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has now reached agreement with the Egyptian Government on the passage of British tankers through the Suez Canal.
§ Mr. NuttingI presume the hon. Member is referring to the passage through the Canal of tankers bound for Haifa. This situation has not changed since my right hon. and learned Friend the Minister of State replied to his Question of 26th May.
§ Mr. JegerHave not these discussions been going on for a very long time, and were we not led to expect some time ago that the change of Government would mean a firm hand being taken by the Conservatives if they were put in office? When are we going to see some results of the promise made by the present Foreign Secretary?
§ Mr. NuttingIt will not have escaped the attention of the hon. Member that there have been several changes in the Egyptian Government since there was a change here.
Mr. McNeilIf we are to understand that there have been recent conversations between Her Majesty's Government and this new Government in Cairo, can we be told that this subject of the passage of tankers on their lawful business was taken up in those conversations?
§ Mr. NuttingThis subject forms part of the present and future negotiations with the Egyptian Government. I prefer not to say anything further at this stage because I feel that nothing I can say in the House of Commons would help towards a satisfactory solution of this problem.
Mr. McNeilWould not the hon. Gentleman agree that this is not a new subject, that the Government in Cairo must be fully aware of the implications, and that since our rights are clear and unambiguous he cannot possibly harm the situation by telling us what was said and what progress was made in the recent conversations on this subject?
§ Mr. NuttingAs I have said, this subject forms part of the present and future negotiations with the Egyptian Government, and more than that I cannot say.