§ 39. Mr. Rankinasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if, in view of the decision to abandon the special Chinese embargo list, he will now instruct the British representative to move for the admission of the Chinese People's Republic into the United Nations.
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreNo, Sir, our policy remains as it has been stated before. The question creates deep divisions of opinion in the United Nations and to press the matter at this stage would not necessarily be in the best interests of the Organisation.
§ Mr. RankinDid not the question of trading relations with China also create divisions in the United Nations? As the Government have decided to some extent to liberalise trading relations with China, would not it be a complementary action to try to do the same about political relations, in view of the fact that we ourselves de facto recognise the present Chinese Government?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreNo. I thought the hon. Member tried quite hard to relate the first half of his Question to the second 198 in his supplementary but did not succeed in doing so. The fact that we have abandoned some items in the Chinese embargo list does not bring about a situation in the United Nations which changes our position towards the membership of that organisation by the Chinese People's Government.
§ Mr. BevanAs it was the policy of previous Governments and I understand is also the policy of this Government that Peking China should be a member of the United Nations, why do not we make the proposal and push it? The argument that there is a division of opinion in the United Nations is surely no justification for not taking the initiative in the matter.
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreIf by taking the initiative one might do more harm than good, I should have thought that that was a very good reason for not taking it.
§ Mr. P. Noel-Bakerrose—
§ Mr. SpeakerI did not observe the right hon. Gentleman rise in time. I have already called the next Question.