§ 44. Mr. E. L. Mallalieuasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement about the placing of the Cyprus question before the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Powers.
§ The Joint Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Lord John Hope)No, Sir. Discussions at the North Atlantic Treaty Council are confidential, and I cannot disclose premature information concerning them.
§ Mr. MallalieuSeeing that no possible purely national advantage can accrue to us from remaining in Cyprus, and seeing that if there are any advantages in our remaining there they must accrue to all the N.A.T.O. Powers in their defence of Western Europe, would it not be appropriate to invite them into consultation on this matter?
§ Lord John HopeThe Answer which I gave is the only possible one to the hon. and learned Member's Question.
§ Mr. J. GriffithsHave the Goverment yet formed the conclusion that the best way of preserving peace would be for them to reopen negotiations towards making a settlement?
§ Mr. NicholsonDoes my hon. Friend recollect that when this Question arose at the Council of Europe, it resulted in a complete triumph for the British case?