Supply of Arms (Hansard, 7 December 1955)

§ 21. Mr. Zilliacus
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will undertake to cease supplying arms to Egypt and the other Arab States concerned, so long as they continue to use the threat of force against the territorial integrity of the State of Israel, by demanding a return to the 1947 United Nations frontier proposals while maintaining a state of war and a blockade against that country.

§ Mr. H. Macmillan
No, Sir. As the House is aware, Her Majesty's Government's policy on the supply of arms to the Middle East is based on the Tripartite Declaration of 1950 and the fulfilment of our treaty obligations.

§ Mr. Zilliacus
Is not the Foreign Secretary aware that, under Article 103 of the Charter, treaty obligations in conflict with those of the Charter cannot be invoked and those of the Charter shall prevail? Is he not further aware that the policy outlined in his replies to my Questions today and in the replies of the Prime Minister, notably on 24th November, suggest strongly that we are drifting into the position of trying to force Israel to make territorial concessions under the threat of force by the Arab States, which is contrary to the Charter?

§ Mr. Macmillan
I am sorry that the hon. Member has thought fit to say that. I do not mind the general attacks. Our sole purpose is to try to help bring about a settlement, and we are working hard for it. I think there is not a single hon. Member on either side of the House who does not feel keenly anxious that somehow or other, by all our common efforts, a settlement of this long-standing problem should be reached.

§ Mr. Paget
Will the Foreign Secretary at least say that we will not continue supplying arms to nations covered by this Declaration who are getting their arms from the Soviet Union?

§ Mr. Macmillan
That is another point, but the hon. and learned Member, as he so often does, puts his finger on the weakness of the suggestion of an arms embargo when we are not in a position to enforce it.

§ 27. Mr. A. Henderson
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement on the recent discussions at Geneva with Mr. Molotov on the question of arms supplies to Egypt and other Middle East countries.

§ Mr. H. Macmillan
I took the occasion of our meetings in Geneva to draw Mr. Molotov's attention to the serious situation which was likely to develop in the Levant as a result of large arms deliveries by the Soviet Union and her allies and to the consequent danger of an arms race.

§ Mr. Henderson
Pending any agreement with the Russian Government, may the House be assured that meanwhile Her Majesty's Government will play their part in supplying arms as may be required by the Government of Israel to permit that Government to undertake their legitimate self-defence, as provided in the Tripartite Declaration of June. 1950?

§ Mr. Macmillan
Yes, Sir. This is a difficult question with which to deal precisely by Question and Answer, but we shall try to carry out the spirit and the letter of the Tripartite Declaration in circumstances of great difficulty where we no longer have the same authority which we had some years ago to determine the precise flow of arms to this area.

§ Mr. Robens
May the House know what was the reaction of Mr. Molotov to the suggestions made by the right hon. Gentleman?

§ Mr. Macmillan
It is important to keep the confidential character of this kind of informal talks, but it would not be a breach of confidence to say that it was not as forthcoming as I might have hoped.