§ 9. Mr. D. Priceasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the circumstances under which Colonel Cowley, Military Attaché at Her Majesty's Embassy in Budapest, was declared by the Kadar Government to be persona non grata.
§ Mr. Ian HarveyA note containing certain charges against Colonel Cowley and requiring him to leave Hungary within 48 hours was handed to Her Majesty's Minister at Budapest on 18th January. Her Majesty's Government are satisfied that the charges in the Hungarian note were without foundation, and they so informed the Hungarian Government. But, in the circumstances, Her Majesty's Government had no option but to withdraw Colonel Cowley, who had in any case returned to this country for consultations on 13th January.
§ Mr. PriceWould my hon. Friend confirm that one of the charges made against Colonel Cowley was that he had discussions with Colonel Maleter, who at the time was Minister of Defence in the Nagy Government and, therefore, a very proper person for our Military Attaché to be holding conversations with?
§ Mr. HarveyYes, Sir, that is quite correct.