§ 49. Mr. Beswickasked the Prime Minister if his meeting with the President of the United States of America is planned to take place before or after the Summit Conference.
§ 52. Mr. Emrys Hughesasked the Prime Minister why his visit to the United States of America is not to take place before June.
§ 53. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Prime Minister if he will state the agenda for his forthcoming talks next June with President Eisenhower; and what advisers he intends to take with him.
§ The Prime MinisterThe De Pauw University ceremonies which I am to attend take place in June. I am using the opportunity of my visit to the United States to have some talks with the President and the Secretary of State; and the subjects discussed will depend on the circumstances at the time. I have not yet decided who shall accompany me. Whether my visit would precede or follow a Summit Conference depends on when a Summit Conference will take place.
§ Mr. Beswickis the Minister aware that this visit is being construed as an exercise in feet dragging—[Interruption.]—and when he sees the President, will he say that this stink of defeat, this defeatism which the American correspondents say they can sense in this country, is really exasperation, indignation and impatience at the way in which we are being held back in our attempt to get a political settlement at the summit?
§ The Prime MinisterNo. This invitation was extended to me several months ago for a purely personal reason, and, perhaps, a sentimental reason as far as I am concerned, as my grandfather was the first medical student at this university. I said that I would accept, if it were possible—as I think that it may be, perhaps—to get leave for a day or two to do this. It would be quite natural that, in passing back through Washington, I should have discussions with the President and with the Secretary of State. What will be the precise 1426 situation at that moment I cannot tell, but any moment such as this is a useful opportunity for personal contacts.
§ Mr. Emrys HughesCan the right hon. Gentleman tell us if the subject of his lecture will be "British By-elections and Their Significance"?
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir, but I can assure the hon. Gentleman that I will consult him beforehand, because he could give me some very good jokes.
§ Mr. Hector HughesDoes the right hon. Gentleman realise that the replies he has given indicate that he is treating this matter too lightly—[Laughter.]—and the laughter of his supporters supports this view? Will he frankly answer the question whether his visit, his long-delayed visit, is in relation to the Summit Conference and whether it is to be in the nature of a prologue, an epilogue or a post mortem?
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir. I try to get some help on the question of jocosity from the hon. Member for South Ayrshire (Mr. Emrys Hughes), and I will take, if I can, lessons in solemnity from the hon. and learned Gentleman.
§ Mr. GaitskellMay I ask the Prime Minister a question about the position with regard to the summit talks, rather than an announcement on the address which I understand he is to give at an American university? Can he say what the position now is? Most of us, I think, are getting a little tired of the continual exchange of letters on both sides putting forward proposals which we know the other side cannot possibly accept. We want to see some progress made towards the summit. Can the Prime Minister say whether it is the view of the Government that there is no prospect of summit talks unless, first of all, the Russians agree to the precise form of the talks between the Foreign Secretaries which has been put forward by the United States; or will not he consider that there may be a case for summit talks even in the absence of prior negotiations, so long as there have been preparatory talks about the agenda, the place and the time?
§ The Prime MinisterWithout making any reflections on the precise implications of the right hon. Gentleman's phrases, which I would rather answer after I have seen them on the Order Paper—I shall be very happy to answer a 1427 Question carefully after seeing it—I would say frankly and broadly that my position remains as I have stated it many times in this House and the country. I want these summit talks to take place. I want them urgently, but I want them to take place—and I think this is the position of our allies—in conditions which give us a good hope of some result, even of a comparatively unambitious result, in some part of the field. If we could get that, I think it would be a great advance upon which hopes could be built for a further advance, but I would be very unhappy if we were to have summit talks in conditions which would make it almost certain that they would be merely debates, and that we would come away with nothing done, so that the hopes raised so high were dashed very low.
§ Mr. GaitskellIs not there great danger at present that if the Western Powers stand on the line hitherto adopted, there will be no prospect of judging even whether the talks have any prospect of success? Is not it possible, in view of the nature of the Russian constitution, that talks at the summit might in fact be far more successful than talks between the Foreign Ministers?
§ The Prime MinisterAll these matters, of course, are under consideration between the Western allies at the moment. I have stated my position clearly, and I hope that it may be that greater progress will be made in reaching the goal which we all want to attain.
§ Mr. GaitskellAre we to understand from that reply that there are talks at present taking place between the Western Powers with a view to a further approach or proposal being made to the Soviet Union?
§ The Prime MinisterYes. The Western Powers are very closely in touch with each other as to how best to handle these matters with a view to reaching the purpose which we hope to achieve in conditions likely to make it effective.