§ Q5. Mr. Healeyasked the Prime Minister what recent consultations he has had with President Kennedy concerning the urgent need for negotiations over Berlin.
§ The Prime MinisterOur two Governments have maintained the very closest co-operation at all levels over the problem of Berlin, and the President and I are in very close contact.
§ Mr. HealeyIn view of the very wide area of agreement between Russia and the West revealed in the recent conversation between the German Ambassador and Mr. Gromyko, and in view of the fact that delay in starting negotiation can only further undermine the morale of the people of West Berlin themselves, does not the Prime Minister feel that the time has come when Britain, the United States and Western Germany should take the initiative in starting formal negotiations on the subject? Particularly having regard to the unjustified criticism of the West German Ambassador's action in Moscow, will the Prime Minister make clear that Her Majesty's Government, at least, welcome and do not deplore this sign of a new flexibility in the attitude of the West German Government?
§ The Prime MinisterAs the hon. Gentleman knows, one of the difficulties is that there has not been, until a few days ago, a German Government, which resulted from the election, with a new Chancellor. That has been resolved. I understand that Dr. Adenauer is to see the President next week. I also hope to see President de Gaulle here next week, and I am hopeful that it will be possible to make progress.
§ Mr. GaitskellWould not the Prime Minister ask the British Ambassador in Moscow to find out whether these new proposals which have been reported in the Press are serious proposals put forward by the Soviet Government?
§ The Prime MinisterWe do receive reports from the British Ambassador in Moscow.
§ Mr. GaitskellIt is no doubt a great relief to all of us to hear that that is the case. Surely the Prime Minister can indicate whether he has asked our 196 Ambassador to make specific inquiries on this point.
§ The Prime MinisterI think that the right hon. Gentleman knows the difficulties of the situation, the hopes of progress and indeed the certain easing of the position that there has been recently. I do not know whether his questions are intended to help, but I am bound to say that, if I were to answer them as I am pressed, it would only injure what we are trying to do.
§ Mr. ShinwellSurely the right hon. Gentleman is not suggesting that the delay in forming a West German Government is the cause of the trouble. As this seems to me to be far beyond a party matter—there is no partisanship in this—may I plead with the right hon. Gentleman to initiate negotiations? What is the cause of the trouble? Is it delay on the part of the United States or Her Majesty's Government, or is it Dr. Adenauer or President de Gaulle? Ought we not to get ahead with these negotiations?
§ The Prime MinisterI think that progress has been made in recent weeks. I am very hopeful that we shall get an agreed Western position. At that point negotiations in one form or another at one level or another can begin. But I do not think that it would be helpful if I were to go into detail in answer to the right hon. Gentleman, however well meant his question, as to some of the reasons for the delay.
§ Mr. S. SilvermanWould not the right hon. Gentleman agree that at least in the past the delay in the commencement of negotiations has been caused by the failure of the Western Powers to agree among themselves as to what they want? It is very difficult, is it not, to have negotiations if we do not know what we want to achieve by them? Can the right hon. Gentleman tell us, without going into details, whether the Western Powers have reached any kind of agreement among themselves on the sort of constructive proposals that they should make as an alternative to the Russian proposals?
§ The Prime MinisterThere has been great progress in that direction.
§ Mr. GaitskellIs the Prime Minister aware that the recent proposals which 197 are reported to have come from Moscow seem to many of us to be relatively helpful and constitute an advance on the previous situation, and that it would therefore be a good thing if those proposals were put forward officially? Is he further aware that I asked whether he would instruct our Ambassador to make inquiries precisely for that reason, because I believe that this might help the development of negotiations over Berlin?
§ The Prime MinisterI think that these new developments are helpful, and I think that after the next stages that I have described we may be able to make further progress. What I am very anxious about is that we should have, first of all, an agreed basis of the Western position and an agreed procedure as to the most helpful method of obtaining our end. That is as important as the question of an agreed basis.