HC Deb 07 July 1959 vol 608 c1113
47. Mr. A. Henderson

asked the Prime Minister whether he will discuss with Mr. Khrushchev at the forthcoming Summit Conference the desirability of reaching early agreement on the abolition of all weapons of mass destruction, both nuclear and conventional.

The Prime Minister

We have not yet reached the point of deciding what topics should be discussed at a Summit meeting, but I am bearing in mind the possibility of discussing general disarmament at such a meeting.

Mr. Henderson

In order to break the present deadlock, would the Prime Minister consider at the appropriate time proposing to Mr. Khrushchev the desirability of going back to the Anglo-French proposals, which covered comprehensive disarmament and which, together with the Soviet memorandum of 10th May, 1955, might constitute the basis of resumed disarmament negotiations?

The Prime Minister

I am certainly grateful for the right hon. and learned Gentleman's suggestion, which I will bear in mind. What I hope is that if and when we get a summit meeting, after disposing of the most urgent questions, if we can do so—the future of Berlin and so forth—we shall proceed at least to some preliminary discussion of the best way to tackle the disarmament problem.