§ 11. Mr. Haleasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the position in the negotiations with the new Government of Iran with reference to the oil refinery at Abadan.
§ Mr. EdenI would refer the hon. Gentleman to my statement in the House on 20th October, to which I would only add that such information as I have received since then encourages me to think that the Persian Government and people understand the sincerity of our desire to see friendly relations restored between our two countries.
§ Mr. HaleI am much obliged to the right hon. Gentleman. He will realise that this Question was put down before 20th October. While we all rejoice at the more hopeful atmosphere, would not this be the time when opportunity should be taken of approaching through the United Nations, the whole question of the control and allocation of the raw materials of the world?
§ Mr. EdenThe hon. Gentleman will agree that it is a very large topic that he is raising, and I would not like to postpone any attempt to reach a settlement of our differences with Persia until we solve that larger one, for we might have to wait a long time.