HC Deb 01 May 1961 vol 639 cc894-5
33. Mr. Warbey

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will furnish a list of the regional arrangements or agencies at present operating under Articles 52 to 54 of the United Nations Charter, giving in each case the date of their registration as such with the Secretary General of the United Nations.

The Lord Privy Seal (Mr. Edward Heath)

These articles of the United Nations Charter do not require such registration and no arrangement or agency of the kind envisaged in them is registered as such.

Mr. Warbey

Does that mean that the Organisation of American States, to which the right hon. Gentleman referred last week as an agency within the United Nations competent to deal with the Cuban situation, in fact is not competent to deal with it at all and that this is really only a pretence, or, if that is not the case, will he in any event bear in mind that nothing in Article 52 impairs the right of the Security Council to deal with any situation likely to lead to international friction?

Mr. Heath

No, Sir. It means nothing of the sort. It means that there can be an organisation or agency which can act under Articles 52 to 54 but they do not have to be registered in accordance with the United Nations procedure.

Mr. P. Noel-Baker

Does the Lord Privy Seal not accept the point of my hon. Friend that Article 52 lays it down in terms— This Article in no way impairs the application of Articles 34 and 35". In other words, an attempt to refer a dispute to the Organisation of American States cannot override the absolute right of a State to have its dispute heard by the Security Council or the Assembly of the United Nations?

Mr. Heath

That is perfectly true, but if the right hon. Gentleman also looks at Section 3 of Article 52 he will see that States are encouraged to settle their disputes through the regional organisations.