§ 23. Mr. Chapmanasked the Seceretary of State for Foreign Affairs, in connection with the pledge of Her Majesty's Government to intervene in any case of aggression between the Arab States and Israel, what arrangements he is making to enable an aggressor to be effectively determined in cases such as those now occurring on the Israeli frontier.
§ Mr. Selwyn LloydThe investigation of border incidents, and the determination of responsibility for such acts as have been occurring recently, are matters for the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation. The Secretary-General of the United Nations, as the House knows, is now on the spot with a mandate which enables him to investigate these arrangements. He will report to the Security Council. It would not be right for me to say anything which might prejudge Mr. Hammarskjöld's recommendations.
§ Mr. ChapmanWhatever the outcome, is it not clear that in this sort of incident we shall never be able to determine effectively which side is the aggressor, because by the time we have determined that, the incident may be a full-scale war, with one side the winner and the other the loser? Would it not be better, whatever the outcome of the mission, that we should make clear exactly what we mean by this pledge?
§ Mr. LloydThe work of the super visory commission is very important Certain procedures are laid down for 993 determining and deterring aggression. If the hon. Gentleman will examine, for example, the "Uniting for Peace" Resolution at the United Nations in 1950, he will see certain procedures laid down which may be used to determine the aggressor. That is one way in which we might seek to do it.