§ 52. Mr. A. Hendersonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to what extent it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government that there should be parity of representation on the United Nations Disarmament Sub-Committee between the Communist Governments and the non-Communist Governments.
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreOwing to the Soviet Union's boycott of the Disarmament Commission, the Sub-Committee has not been reconvened and the question of its membership therefore does not arise at present.
§ Mr. HendersonSurely that does not prevent the Government making their position clear. Is not it a fact that the Sub-Committee is composed at the moment of four representatives of Western Powers and the Soviet Union representative? Will not the Government indicate mat they are prepared to consider favourably proposals for establishing parity between the Western Powers on the one hand and the Soviet and its associated Governments of the Warsaw Pact on the other hand?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreThe Soviet Government object to the composition of the Disarmament Commission and not the Sub-Committee. That has not arisen yet. Proposals of the kind made by the right hon. Gentleman would be most unwelcome to a number of countries, whose policy is one of non-alignment. They are not prepared to be labelled either pro-or anti-Communist.