§ 41. Mr. Wyattasked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the importance of the proposals recently made by General Norstad, he will himself attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 1061 Council meeting on 16th December; and if he will invite the Prime Ministers of the other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Powers to do likewise.
§ 50. Mr. Warbeyasked the Prime Minister whether he will attend the December meeting of the Council of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.
§ 52. Mr. Healeyasked the Prime Minister whether he proposes to attend the meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Council in December.
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir. It is not proposed that heads of Government should attend this meeting.
§ Mr. WyattWould it not be desirable, in view of the fact that General Norstad has suggested that nuclear weapons should not be used unless all N.A.T.O. Powers have an equal voice, and would not the Prime Minister give some indication of his view on this proposal and whether he thinks it is practicable to make the necessary consultations in the short time that may be available?
§ The Prime MinisterAt the meeting there will, no doubt, be proposals put forward by General Norstad and, no doubt, proposals by the other Governments, but it has not been proposed that there should be a heads of Government meeting. I say quite frankly that I do not think that it would be very valuable to have a heads of Government meeting just a month before the new American President takes office.
§ Mr. WarbeyWill the Prime Minister see that whoever represents this country at the N.A.T.O. meeting emphatically knocks on the head the monstrous proposal to erect a military supra-State on the foundation of hydrogen bombs?
§ The Prime MinisterI think that what the hon. Gentleman has done is what he has so often done, and that is to set up something that does not exist and then knock it on the head.
§ Mr. HealeyIf the Prime Minister does not propose to attend the Council meeting, and in view of his known interest in this topic, will he ensure that Her Majesty's Government table a proposal that the N.A.T.O. countries collectively should approach the Soviet Union 1062 and its allies in the Warsaw Pact to study the control and reduction of arms and forces in an agreed area of Europe, as proposed by himself in a communiqué he signed with Mr. Khrushchev not very long ago?
§ The Prime MinisterThat matter arises out of the general plans for better arrangements regarding Germany. We hold to our plans, but I do not think that it is necessarily suitable for this particular meeting of N.A.T.O.