§ 49. Mr. Brockwayasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how the British delegation at the United Nations voted on the proposal that the Chinese People's Republic should be recognised as a member State.
§ Sir Anthony EdenAs my hon. Friend stated in his reply to the hon. and learned Member for Aberdeen, North (Mr. Hector Hughes) on 20th October, the General Assembly decided not to consider the question of Chinese representation this year. The United Kingdom delegation supported this decision.
§ Mr. BrockwayMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he would reconsider 1596 this policy in the United Nations? Is it not the case that the recognition of China and membership of the United Nations is the key to the whole peace of the world, and ought we not to come out strongly in favour of it?
§ Sir A. EdenMy right hon. Friend dealt with this matter very fully in a speech on 12th July. If the hon. Gentleman would be good enough to look it up, he will see that our whole position is fully set out there. I do not think that I can add to it usefully by question and answer.
§ Mr. BennWould the right hon. Gentleman explain to the House how it was that the British delegate to the Security Council justified his vote on this issue by saying that it would be very undesirable for the United Nations to debate such a violently controversial matter? Can the right hon. Gentleman tell us how that squares with his recent broadcast in which he attached importance to United Nations as a forum for international discussion?
§ Sir A. EdenI should like to look at the actual terms used by our representative at the Security Council. It seems to me that if he said that it was not the particular moment to inject this controversy, he may well have been right.