§ 33. Mr. Rankinasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement about his discussions with President Frondizi.
§ Mr. Selwyn LloydI was present with the Argentine Foreign Minister at one discussion between the President and my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister. The President and my right hon. Friend also had one meeting alone. The communiqué which was issued from No. 10 Downing Street on 7th July and published in the national Press accurately summarised the nature of these discussions. I will circulate the text in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
I would, however, draw the attention of the House to the statement that
The Prime Minister and President Frondizi…agreed that the United Kingdom and Argentina had a common interest in the preservation of peace, democracy and justice and in the promotion of economic progress".The communiqué also noted thatThe President and the Prime Minister observed with satisfaction the excellent relations between Argentina and the United Kingdom and agreed that these could be intensified by ever closer contacts of all kinds".These two sentences accurately reflect the atmosphere of great friendliness in which these discussions were held and the state of relations between this country and Argentina.
§ Mr. RankinIs it not the fact also that at that discussion—according to what I am led to believe—the President of Argentina made it clear that, since Cuba had committed no external aggression, he failed to see why there 1073 should be any cause for outside interference? Was that view accepted at the meeting to which the Foreign Secretary has referred?
§ Mr. LloydThere was not a scintilla of difference in approach between the Argentine Government and our own to the problem of Cuba.
§ Following is the Communiqué