HC Deb 25 January 1954 vol 522 cc1451-2
35. Mr. Noel-Baker

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to make a statement about the proposal for a further meeting of the United Nations Assembly to discuss the situation in Korea and the summoning of the political conference for which the Korean Armistice Agreement made provision

Mr. Selwyn Lloyd

I regret that I have nothing yet to add to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave to the right hon. and learned Member for Rowley Regis and Tipton (Mr. A. Henderson) on 20th January.

Mr. Noel-Baker

Was it not the general understanding of the Assembly, when it separated in December, that if the political conference did not meet at the proper date there should be a further meeting of the Assembly? If the Asembly does not meet, how do the Government propose to get a political conference on Korea?

Mr. Lloyd

The understanding was that if there was a deadlock or a breakdown over the negotiations at Panmunjom about a political conference it would be desirable that the General Assembly should meet. That position has not yet been reached.

Mr. Noel-Baker

Surely there is now deadlock. How long is the deadlock to be allowed to continue?

Mr. Lloyd

There are, of course, two points of view about it. There are some people who say that as long as the United Nations is debating the matter there will be no progress at Panmunjom, and there is the other view that nothing useful would be done at the United Nations while there is a chance of success being achieved at Panmunjom. We have to deal with the matter as it develops. We shall not be submitting our answer for a few days, but we shall have in mind the primary objective of getting successful progress in the negotiations for a political conference.