§ 18. Mr. Finlayasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what has been the result of the discussions initiated by Her Majesty's Government concerning effective standing forces for the United Nations; and whether he will make a statement.
§ 52. Sir F. Medlicottasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps have been taken by Her Majesty's Government to press for effective military forces to be permanently placed at the disposal of the United Nations; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Selwyn LloydI have nothing to add to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Joint Under-Secretary to the hon. Member for Uxbridge (Mr. Beswick) on 4th February.
§ Mr. FinlayIs my right hon. and learned Friend aware that if the Israelis are to be forced to withdraw from the Gaza Strip, the formation of some kind of permanent force by the United Nations becomes an imperative duty and responsibility on its part?
§ Mr. LloydWe have always hoped that from the United Nations Emergency Force would come something of a permanent nature.
§ Sir F. MedlicottIs my right hon. and learned Friend aware that events have shown that the establishment of such a force is logically the next step in the evolution of the United Nations as an effective international force, and that it would receive a wide measure of support from all parties?
§ Mr. LloydI do not disagree with my hon. Friend. However, there are certain technical difficulties from the point of view of the United Nations.
§ Mr. BevanAs Her Majestys Govment's policy has not been successful, because, as we understand from the answers to several Questions, we wished the withdrawal of the Israeli forces from Aqaba and the Gaza Strip to be accompanied by the intervention of the United Nations Force, to prevent a repetition of what happened before, what pause is now to take place between the two events? Has there been agreement or discussion about that?
§ Mr. LloydThat is going a good deal wider than the terms of the Question on the Order Paper. I do not accept for a moment that the policy of Her Majesty's Government in this matter has been unsuccessful. I understand that as the Israeli forces withdraw they will be relieved by the United Nations Force.
§ Mr. BevanI understood the right hon. and learned Gentleman to say, in reply to several Questions a few weeks ago—and the Prime Minister backed him up the following week—that in the opinion of Her Majesty's Government it would be desirable that, while Israel could not attach conditions to her withdrawal, nevertheless provisions for her safety should take place simultaneously with her withdrawal?
§ Mr. LloydThat is exactly what I understand is to happen; that the United Nations Emergency Force is to take over the positions in the Gaza Strip and at Aqaba.
§ Viscount HinchingbrookeIn circumstances where, seemingly, we have no control over the policy of the Assembly of the United Nations, is it appropriate that the Government should so readily agree to the establishment of a permanent standing force by the United Nations?
§ Mr. LloydWhat I said was that I hoped there would emerge from the United Nations Emergency Force a permanent force to be used for police purposes. That would require certain statutes as to how that force was to be used.
§ Mr. UsborneIn the interests of getting something permanent, are not there two factors which are absolutely cardinal? First, that the members of this so-called permanent force should be individually and directly recruited by the United Nations, and not be contingents seconded by sovereign States which could Withdraw their contingents; and, secondly, that there should be some territory which would be a permanent base from which this United Nations constabulary could operate, or to which it could fall back if it had to be withdrawn from some other part of the world?
§ Mr. LloydIt is precisely because of the complications introduced by both points which the hon. Member has raised 338 that I do not think that at the moment we should give more than general support to the idea.