§ 28. Mr. Grimondasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if Her Majesty's Government will now reconsider their position under the Tripartite Declaration.
§ 40. Mr. Langford-Holtasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the present policy of Her Majesty's Government with regard to the Tripartite Declaration of 1950.
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreI have nothing to add to what was said about the Tripartite Declaration by my right hon. and learned Friend on 19th May in answer to a Question from my hon. Friend the Member for Taunton (Mr. du Cann).
§ Mr. GrimondMay I then ask whether it is the Government's view that this Declaration is still in force? If that is the case and they feel it essential to guarantee the frontiers of Israel, would it not be as well to substitute for it a more precise guarantee showing exactly what our responsibilities would be?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreIt is in force, but the kind of procedure which the hon. Member mentioned is something which we should examine, and I think that we could conveniently discuss it during the course of the debate tomorrow.
§ Mr. Langford-HoltWill my right hon. Friend recall that at the time of the Suez operation it was announced that the Declaration did not apply in the case of Egypt in the direction of Egypt? Can he assure us that it applies to all the neighbours of Israel in both directions?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreIt did not apply to Egypt because Egypt specifically said that she did not wish to be defended under the Tripartite Declaration.
§ Mr. YoungerNo matter what the signatory Governments may now say about it, does the right hon. Gentleman not agree that many of the possible beneficiaries of the Declaration have ceased to believe in it? Is not that a relevant fact which should lead Her Majesty's Government and other signatories to find some other method of giving a really effective guarantee in which they can believe?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreThere is a great deal in what the right hon. Gentleman has said.
§ Mr. ShinwellCan the Minister remove any ambiguity about this matter? Can he say whether, in the event of an act of aggression against the State of Israel, the three signatories to the Tripartite Declaration will take action in support of that country?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreAs the fight hon. Gentleman knows, the wording of the Tripartite Declaration was very carefully drawn up and we stand precisely by the wording of that declaration.
§ Mr. ShinwellWill the Minister be good enough to answer my question in order to clarify this issue? Can he answer the question?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreI can answer the question to the extent of saying that we have always declared, as we declared in the Tripartite Declaration, that there should be no change in the present frontiers of Israel by force.