HC Deb 28 March 1955 vol 539 cc8-9
12. Mr. A. Henderson

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will give an assurance that it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government that the four-Power talks which they are proposing, after ratification of the Paris Agreements, shall be at the highest Ministerial level.

Sir Anthony Eden

No, Sir. These and other connected questions are matters for consultation with our allies, but, now that the French Parliament have voted in favour of ratification, I would remind the right hon. Gentleman of the procedure I outlined to the House during the debate on 14th March. That procedure we shall now be able to follow.

Mr. Henderson

In view of the statements made both by President Eisenhower and Marshal Bulganin supporting the holding of such a conference, can we take it that it is the view of Her Majesty's Government that there is no obstacle now to the holding of a four-Power conference? Are Her Majesty's Government going to take the initiative in proposing that it should be held as soon as arrangements can be made for it?

Sir A. Eden

We are already in consultation with our allies as to the methods by which we can now go ahead. Perhaps the right hon. and learned Gentleman will be kind enough to look at what I said. It gives in full the procedure which we propose to follow and the methods of consultation which we think desirable. Certainly they will include meetings, it may be in the first instance at official level, then at the Foreign Ministers level, and possibly at other levels also if all goes well; but the plans are set out in that statement.

Mr. Bellenger

In view of the probability that the West German Federal Government may wish to have diplomatic representation in Moscow, now that West Germany has regained her sovereignty, will that Government be entitled to take part in any quadripartite negotiations with Russia?

Sir A. Eden

As the right hon. Gentleman knows, that poses a certain number of questions of representation, not only on the one side but also on the other. There is the question: if one part of Germany were represented, what is the position of the other part of Germany? Nobody understands that better than the German Federal Republic, but we fully recognise the need of keeping the German Federal Government fully informed and consulted at every stage.

Mr. Henderson

Are we to understand that arrangements are now being made for meetings at official level with a view to preparing a conference?

Sir A. Eden

We are in discussion with our allies on that very point. Perhaps I can best satisfy the right hon. and learned Gentleman by saying that nothing is excluded from our minds in the way of machinery to bring about the results we all require.

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