BAGDAD PACT (Hansard, 30 November 1955)

§ 28. Mr. Warbey
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will propose to the other parties to the Bagdad Pact the inclusion in the treaty of clauses dealing with human rights and democratic freedoms, similar to those which were included in the North Atlantic Treaty.

§ Mr. H. Macmillan
All members of the Pact, as subscribers to the Charter of the United Nations, have already affirmed their faith in fundamental human rights.

§ Mr. Warbey
Why are the specific clauses which were inserted in the North Atlantic Treaty not included in this one? 2302 Is it because the Government are now seeking allies among totalitarian States and pseudo-democracies? That being so, would it not be better to drop this cant about "the defence of the free world"?

§ Mr. Macmillan
The Preamble to this Pact differs slightly from the Preamble to the North Atlantic Treaty. Of course, we did not draw up this Pact; we adhered to it after it was drawn up. As to where we should seek our allies, this House must make its own decisions.

§ Captain Waterhouse
On a point of order. May I ask whether the hon. Member who has asked the last three Questions represents Broxtowe or Moscow?

§ Mr. Paget
May I ask whether the Foreign Secretary—

Mr. B. Taylor
Further to the point of order, Mr. Speaker. Might I inform the right hon. and gallant Member for Leicester, South-East (Captain Waterhouse) that the Broxtowe division of Nottingham is now extinct.

§ Mr. Ellis Smith
On a point of order. My point of order is based upon the Standing Order which states that a reflection should not be made upon another hon. Member. I ask Mr. Speaker, under that Standing Order, to request the right hon. and gallant Member for Leicester, South-East (Captain Waterhouse) to withdraw that imputation against my hon. Friend.

§ Mr. Speaker
I listened to what was said and, as I understood it, the question was whether the point of view expressed in the supplementary question—[HON. MEMBERS: "No."]—that is what I understood—was the point of view of Broxtowe, which is no longer a constituency here, or of Moscow. There are points of view no doubt in all places. I did not see that there was a reflection in that question upon the hon. Member for Ash field (Mr. Warbey).

§ Mr. Ellis Smith
With very great respect, and understanding that you might have had difficulty in following me, may I say that we all distinctly heard what was said? Basing myself on the Standing Order, I ask for the complete withdrawal of the imputation against my hon. Friend.

§ Mr. Speaker
There is no Standing Order which deals with the matter. It is 2303 a matter of the practice of the House. If I misinterpreted the remark of the right hon. and gallant Member for Leicester, South-East perhaps he will tell us what he did say.

§ Captain Waterhouse
If I have given any offence to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South (Mr. Ellis Smith), I will gladly withdraw the remark.

§ Mr. Speaker
Well, I hope that is the end of all that.

§ Mr. Ross
Further to the point of order. So that the right hon. and gallant Member may be guided for the future, may I remind him that the only person who represents Moscow in this House is myself, because I represent Moscow in Ayrshire?

§ Mr. Speaker
I hope that that matter can be considered as finished. Mr. Brockway.

§ Mr. Paget
On a point of order. You had called me to ask a supplementary question on Question No. 28.

§ Mr. Speaker
That was some time ago. Mr. Paget.

§ Mr. Paget
Is the Foreign Secretary aware that most, if not all, of the Soviet treaties contain these clauses dealing with human rights and democratic freedoms? Can he say whether they are very helpful in practice?

§ Mr. Macmillan
Practising is more important than preaching.

41. Mr. Philips Price
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in view of the importance of economic development and the raising of living standards in Iraq and Persia as a means of preventing the spread of Communism, what proposals were made by the British representatives at the Bagdad Conference to secure these ends.

§ 49. Mr. J. Hynd
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement on the outcome of the negotiations of the Bagdad Treaty Powers.

§ Mr. H. Macmillan
The purpose of this first meeting of the Bagdad Treaty Powers was to set up permanent machinery for political, economic and military co-operation and consultation. The House will have seen from the final communiqué, which I am arranging to make available 2304 in the Library, that this purpose was achieved.
As the representative of Her Majesty's Government at the Bagdad Council, I supported the creation of an Economic Committee to develop and strengthen the economic and financial resources of the Middle East region and to consider ways and means of sharing experience in the field of development. I also said that Her Majesty's Government were prepared to increase the scope and scale of technical assistance to members of the Bagdad Pact; and to use our experience in the field of atomic energy to help countries with their own projects for the peaceful application of this science.
I had very valuable discussions on the international situation with the Prime Ministers of Iran, Iraq, Pakistan and Turkey, and I hope that this will set a pattern for future co-operation. In addition, the association of the United States Government with our deliberations was particularly welcome.

Mr. Price
Can the Foreign Secretary say what is to happen to the Middle East supply centre, which is still languishing in Beirut?

§ Mr. Macmillan
We hope to expand the staff of the Middle East Development Division. We hope to take on more technical advisers. We already have advisers dealing with various subjects and we hope to take on new advisers and to expand their work. Broadly, I have made arrangements, which my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has approved, for expanding and developing the work of technical advice which we can do through the Middle East Development Division.

§ Mr. J. Hynd
In view of the rather confused terms in which the Pact has been published, can the right hon. Gentleman give any information at all as to any military commitments into which we may have entered as a result of this Pact? Further, will he assure the House that any arrangements made under the Pact for the provision of arms to the member countries will in no way prejudice any necessary assistance to Israel in the event of her requiring arms for her defence?

§ Mr. Macmillan
The Pact was already approved by Parliament, and what I had to do was to attend the first formal Council meeting. I do not think that the commitments are increased. On the contrary, 2305 as we have found elsewhere in the world, the co-operation of countries for their own defence reduces, rather than increases, their risks. To answer the last part of the hon. Gentleman's question, the only effect of the Pact is, I think, to increase, rather than to decrease, the general hope of a settlement of the Palestine problem.