§ 45. Mr. Rankinasked the Prime Minister to what extent the declaration by the Minister of Defence at the Bagdad Pact and Ministerial Council, to the effect that Great Britain remained pledged to uphold all the military obligations of the Bagdad Pact, including those directed to defence of the territories of the Bagdad Pact countries against subversion, represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government.
§ The Prime Minister (Mr. Harold Macmillan)I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Ashfield (Mr. Warbey) and the hon. Member for Leek (Mr. Harold Davies), on 5th February.
§ Mr. RankinIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that, in reply to a Question on 27th February, 1957, the Minister of Defence stated that defence against 194 aggression meant that British forces could interfere in a Bagdad Pact country where the ruler described any popular uprising as being due to Communist subversion? Does the Prime Minister remember that he himself proclaimed exactly the same doctrine to justify intervention in Jordan on 17th July last year? Do the replies to which he referred mean that the Government still reserve that right to interfere in the affairs of Turkey, Iraq and Pakistan at the request of the rulers of those countries?
§ The Prime MinisterIn every case, of course, every consideration has to be given to the particular circumstances. The purpose of the Pact is to promote, so far as it is possible, a sense of stability and security.
§ Mr. GaitskellDoes the Prime Minister still regard the Bagdad Pact as the basis of the Government's Middle East policy, as it was once said to be? Does he not feel, in view of developments in Iraq, that it would be wise to make plain that this Pact is now really a northern tier agreement directed only against the possible danger of aggression from the north?
§ The Prime MinisterI think it would be a very great mistake if we were to do anything at the present time to weaken the sense of confidence of the countries concerned, who are members, with us, of the Bagdad Pact.
§ Mr. GaitskellThat does not answer my question. Until now, it has been Her Majesty's Government's policy to regard the Bagdad Pact as the basis of their policy in the whole of the Middle East. Would it not be advisable—if not this afternoon, on some early occasion —to make plain that the situation has changed and they now look upon the Bagdad Pact as more limited in its objectives?
§ The Prime MinisterOf course, the situation has changed; but it is one of the bases on which we must rely.