DISARMAMENT (Hansard, 23 March 1961)

§ 45. Mr. Warbey
asked the Prime Minister what steps he proposes to take to give effect to the disarmament policy agreed upon at the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference.

§ 46. Mr. A. Henderson
asked the Prime Minister whether he will now seek to discuss with President Kennedy and Mr. Khrushchev the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' disarmament proposals.

§ The Prime Minister
In future discussions on disarmament in the United Nations or elsewhere Her Majesty's Government, and no doubt other Commonwealth Governments, will be guided by the principles set out in the statement by the Prime Ministers. As to discussions with President Kennedy and Mr. Khrushchev, I have no arrangements to see Mr. Khrushchev. No doubt I shall be discussing with President Kennedy, among many other subjects, the next step to be taken in the field of disarmament.

§ Mr. Warbey
Is the Prime Minister aware that the proposals made by the Commonwealth Prime Ministers represent a significant advance on any previous Western proposals, in that they propose that disarmament should be continuous, rapid and subject to a precise timetable, and that control should be instituted simultaneously with actual disarmament and not before? Will not the Prime Minister now put forward detailed British plans based on these principles in order to facilitate the possibility of real agreement?

§ The Prime Minister
No. The proper course is to take up negotiations as to the forum in which the disarmament committee or committees shall now meet.

§ Mr. A. Henderson
Does not the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' communiqué urge that the principal military Powers should resume disarmament negotiations without delay? If it is true that negotiations are not to be resumed until 578 1st August, as has been suggested by President Kennedy, is it not highly desirable that direct discussions should take place with Mr. Khrushchev in the meanwhile on the proposals contained in the communiqué?

§ The Prime Minister
No. I think that everybody will agree that, whatever the date may be—I think the American Government will wish to be as swift as they can—these negotiations to be fruitful must include the greatest armed State in the world, the United States.

§ Mr. P. Noel-Baker
In the meantime, will the Prime Minister ensure that the declaration of the Commonwealth Prime Ministers is circulated to the delegations to the United Nations Assembly now in session?

§ The Prime Minister
Yes. The right hon. Gentleman has asked me to do that already. I ask him to forgive me if I have not written to him about it. I will certainly see that it is dealt with before I leave tomorrow.

§ Mr. A. Henderson
May I ask the Prime Minister to realise that I was not suggesting the exclusion of the United States Government? I asked him this. Pending the resumption of the negotiations on 1st August, would it not be a good thing to enter into discussions with Mr. Khrushchev as well as with the American President?

§ The Prime Minister
I should be very doubtful of the wisdom of that. We must proceed with our American allies and the other great States of the West.