§ 7. Mr. E. L. Mallalieuasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will propose at the United Nations, or elsewhere, the creation of an individually-recruited permanent United Nations force; and whether Her Majesty's Government will, with the concurrence of the territory in question, offer a territory in the Colonial Empire as a permanent base for it.
§ Mr. Selwyn LloydAs I informed the House on 19th February, Heir Majesty's Government hope that something of a permanent nature will develop from the United Nations Emergency Force, but we would like to await Mr. Hammarskjöld's report on the prospects of this before going further. The report is expected in the autumn. The second part of the Question does not therefore arise.
§ Mr. MallalieuHas the right hon. and learned Gentleman's attention been 1303 drawn to the statement of Mr. Hammarskjöld about the present United Nations observers in the Lebanon and how he is stated to have said that if they were to undertake any police work they would have to be much more numerous and well-equipped, and that the thing could not be organised in a hurry?
§ Mr. LloydThat is quite true and quite consistent with Mr. Hammarskjöld's words when he said:
There is need for careful analysis and study of the U.N.E.F. experience in all its aspects in order to give the United Nations a sound foundation, should the organisation wish to build an agreed standby plan for a United Nations peace force that could be activated on short notice. … Steps have been taken for such a study to be undertaken in the Secretariat.It is the results of that study which we now await.