§ 31. Mr. Wallasked the Lord Privy Seal what commitments Great Britain has undertaken to come to the defence of Jordan or of Israel if either country is attacked by a foreign Power or a combination of foreign Powers.
§ Mr. WallDoes my right hon. Friend's reply mean that there will be no responsibility on this country to defend Israel or Jordan should either be attacked by foreign countries?
§ Mr. HeathWe have, of course, our obligations under the United Nations, but we have no treaty obligations, as I have described.
§ Mr. FletcherMay we take it from what the Lord Privy Seal has said that, in so far as the re-establishment of the United Arab Republic is very likely to transform the balance of power in the 709 Middle East and affect both the independence of Jordan and the security of Israel, it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to reaffirm the Tripartite Declaration of 1950?
§ Mr. HeathThe new federation has not yet com., into being, and I have described the process that has to come about before that can be so. I therefore think it is premature to make any statement of any kind on the matter the hon. Gentleman has raised, but he himself will remember that the United Arab Republic, as such, repudiated any arrangement under the Tripartite Declaration in, I think, 1956 or 1957.