§ 49. Mr. Warbeyasked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the recent official statements of President Eisenhower and the French Prime Minister, he will now make fresh proposals for a four-Power Conference, including a suggested date for its convening.
§ The Prime MinisterThings certainly seem to have taken a friendly turn lately. I have never departed in any way from my view that a top-level meeting without agenda might be a hopeful manner of approaching the solution to these world problems. It might be helpful to have the wish and the will expressed from the summit and the agreements of heads of Governments recorded in broad and simple terms if any can be reached. These can then be studied and implemented on the official level.
This procedure, like all others, may fail to reach an agreement, but there might be a better chance of success if the initiative came from the summit. So far, however, the heads of Governments have not agreed to this method.
200 Meanwhile as my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary said in the House yesterday, nothing is excluded from our minds in the way of machinery to bring about the results we all require. In view of the recent statements by President Eisenhower, by the French Prime Minister and by Marshal Bulganin, we must not lose patience or courage.
It is the duty of Her Majsty's Government to maintain the closest contact with their Allies upon this dominating question.
§ Mr. WarbeyDoes the reply of the Prime Minister indicate that he still intends to push ahead with the idea of a meeting at the top level? Can he say whether he hopes to achieve one in time to be able to participate in it himself?
§ The Prime MinisterThe future is veiled in obscurity, and I should not like to plunge too deeply into it this afternoon.