§ 9. Mr. Mayhewasked the Lord Privy Seal what information he has received from the United States Government concerning the resumption of talks between that Government and the Soviet Government on Berlin.
§ 7. Mr. W. Hamiltonasked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will make a statement on the prospects of a negotiated agreement on the Berlin situation.
§ Mr. HeathThe United States Secretary of State has had further discussions with the Soviet Ambassador in Washington, and Her Majesty's Government are being kept fully informed. The discussions are still in the exploratory stage and are likely to continue when the United States Secretary of State returns to Washington.
§ Mr. MayhewWill the Lord Privy Seal say whether the reported American proposals have the support of the German Government? Will he take special steps to make quite clear to the German Government that in this country, where we carry a heavy burden in regard to Berlin, there is very wide support for the American proposals?
§ Mr. HeathYes, Sir. The German Government issued a statement to say that they had complete confidence in the way in which the Secretary of State of the United States was handling these talks.
§ Sir G. NicholsonHas my right hon. Friend nothing to report about access to Berlin? Has the proposal for an international access authority been dropped? Has it been made clear to the Soviet Government that nothing could so improve relations between the Soviet and the West as some assurance that access to Berlin would be guaranteed by international authority?
§ Mr. HeathThe latter fact has been made abundantly clear to the Soviet Union on a very large number of occasions. I told the House on an earlier occasion that Her Majesty's Government were in agreement with the various proposals being discussed by the American Secretary of State with the Soviet Ambassador but, of course, the House will recognise that I cannot go further in public about the particular details of those proposals.