§ 21. Mr. A. Hendersonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will instruct the British representative at the United Nations to support the proposal of the United States Government for the establishment of a preparatory commission of the United Nations to prepare and submit recommendations relating to the date, place, organisation and procedure of a General United Nations Charter Review Conference.
§ 25. Mr. Healeyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the policy of Her Majesty's Government concerning a revision of the United Nations Charter.
§ Mr. TurtonThe United Kingdom delegation in New York is discussing this matter with the United States and other delegations, with a view to proposing that a general conference to review the Charter should be held at an appropriate time.
§ Mr. HealeyIn view of reports that the conference might not be held until 1957 and in view of the fact that it is 1458 highly desirable that India should become a permanent member of the Security Council, since, among other powerful reasons, this might make it easier for America to accept Communist China on the Security Council, will not the Government take urgent steps to get these and allied questions settled without further delay?
§ Mr. TurtonI think that the hon. Member is referring to another matter. This is a question of a review of the Charter. We are going into this discussion with other delegations to see what would be the appropriate time to have the review conference.
§ Mr. A. HendersonDoes the Under-Secretary's reply mean that the Government now accept in principle the desirability of holding such a review conference but that there would be practical doubt as to the timing of it?
§ Mr. TurtonThat states the position accurately. My right hon. Friend put the Government's position very clearly on 13th July, when he said that in our view the present time would not be in the interests of the United Nations. We certainly hold the view that the conference should take place at an appropriate time.