§ 49. Mr. Peytonasked the Prime Minister to what extent during his recent meeting with President Eisenhower he discussed the problem of the Arab refugees.
§ The Prime MinisterI am aware of my hon. Friend's concern over this problem. We had a general discussion on Middle East affairs, but my hon. Friend will understand that it is not possible for me to go into details.
§ Mr. PeytonWill my right hon. Friend take an early opportunity to impress upon President Eisenhower the necessity of ending Western indecision, for which America bears a large share of responsibility, on this subject at the earliest possible moment, and put it to the President that this problem does not get easier with the passing of time but rather steadily and tragically worse, until another generation grows up amid the degradation and squalor of those camps?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, as my hon. Friend knows, this is a very serious and, alas, very intractable problem. As to the 204 actual maintenance, Her Majesty's Government, like other Governments, make an important contribution. We quite realise the urgency of trying to find some final solution of a problem we have at present been able only to mitigate, not to solve.