HC Deb 04 February 1953 vol 510 cc1821-2
11. Mr. Usborne

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what changes in the Charter or procedure of the United Nations Organisation he is proposing to suggest when this matter has to be discussed at the tenth assembly of the United Nations.

Mr. Selwyn Lloyd

The Tenth Session of the United Nations Assembly will meet in 1955. It is, therefore, too early to decide whether Her Majesty's Government should then suggest changes to the Charter or procedure of the United Nations, or what such changes should be.

Mr. Usborne

Arising out of that reply, may I ask the Minister of State three short questions? First, is he aware that Mr. Dulles, in a very recent public speech, said that this revision conference shortly to be held should be regarded as important as the original San Francisco Conference? Second, does the Foreign Secretary regard the United Nations as, armed forces, including para-millitary forces, of Bulgaria, Roumania and Hungary now exceed the maximum strenghts laid down in the peace treaties with those countries.

Mr. Nutting

I will, with permission circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table drawing certain general comparisons between the limits laid down by the treaties with Roumania, Hungary and Bulgaria and our estimate of the prescent levels of their forces. From this it will be seen that since the estimates given to the House on the 25th July, 1951, there has been a considerable increase in the size of the Hungarian armed forces and smaller increases in the case of Bulgaria amd Roumania.

Following is the table:

in effect, an embryonic world government, in which case does not the veto clause have to be abolished; or is it, in fact, merely an assembly of sovereign States in permanent conference, in which case is it proper for a mathematical majority of those nations to regard themselves as representing the Conference itself?

Mr. Lloyd

The hon. Member's supplementary question would be much better dealt with in debate than by question and answer.

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