HC Deb 06 March 1957 vol 566 cc338-9
25. Mr. Bellenger

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether a visit is to be paid to Hungary by the Secretary-General of the United Nations organisation in the near future, in accordance with the United Nations resolution.

Mr. Selwyn Lloyd

No specific recommendation has been made by the General Assembly of the United Nations that the Secretary-General should visit Hungary. He himself offered to go there. The Hungarian Government rejected as "inappropriate" one date, 16th December, proposed by the Secretary-General and said that they would propose another one later. They have not yet done so.

Mr. Bellenger

Are we to assume from that reply that in the case of a nation which flouts the authority of the United Nations because she is supported by Russian tanks and guns the United Nations is to do nothing? If that proceeds further, would it not create cynicism in the minds of many people who have watched the United Nations' action in the case of Israel and of other countries?

Mr. Lloyd

I certainly think that this is an example of the "double standard" which has caused cynicism in a good many minds already.

Mr. H. Morrison

Would it not be possible to refer to the Trusteeship Council of the United Nations the question of how soon self-government and democratic Parliamentary Government are to be restored to Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Rumania, Bulgaria, Latvia, and Estonia?

Mr. Lloyd

It is certainly an interesting suggestion.