HC Deb 16 June 1955 vol 542 cc755-6
50. Mr. Zilliacus

asked the Prime Minister whether he will give an assurance that it will be the policy of Her Majesty's Government in the impending four-Power talks to conduct the negotiations on the basis of respect for the national independence and equal rights, and non-interference in the internal affairs, of all the States concerned, in accordance with the principles laid down in Article 2 of the United Nations Charter.

The Prime Minister

The policy of Her Majesty's Government is always framed in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter.

Mr. Zilliacus

Will the Prime Minister convey the sense of this reply to Mr. John Foster Dulles, the United States Secretary of State, in view of the fact that his publicly announced intention of using the four-Power talks to press for changes in the internal regimes of some of the East European States runs counter to this assurance, is inconsistent with the Charter, and bids fair, if persisted in, to wreck the negotiations?

The Prime Minister

I think that if we are going to go into these matters at all, we should also have to bear in mind that certain assurances about the rights of these countries freely to express their views were given at Yalta, and some people might have views as to how well they have been fulfilled.