HC Deb 29 April 1963 vol 676 cc698-700
16. Mr. Mayhew

asked the Lord Privy Seal what consultations Her Majesty's Government, as co-Chairman of the Geneva Conference, have had with the Soviet Government relating to the situation in South-East Asia.

21. Mr. Cronin

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement on the present situation in Laos.

27. Mr. Brockway

asked the Lord Privy Seal what reply has been made to the representations of the Prime Minister of Laos that Britain, the Soviet Union and the International Control Commission should intervene to end the violation of the cease-fire agreement by the Communist forces led by Pathet Lao.

Mr. Heath

I understand that the International Control Commission has decided to send a team daily to the Neutralist Military Headquarters. Minor breaches of the cease-fire have been reported, but we know of no general renewal of fighting since 21st April. Our Ambassador has again accompanied the Laotian Prime Minister to the Plaine des Jarres in efforts to secure a more permanent settlement.

Mr. Mayhew

Is the Lord Privy Seal aware that these events are more hopeful and his statement will give some reassurance? Is there not a rather unhappy contrast between the success of Mr. Harriman's mission to Moscow and the procedural wrangle in which the British Government have got themselves with the Soviet Government on this point?

Mr. Heath

There is no procedural wrangle existing between the Soviet Government and ourselves. There was a difference on the content of the Note which it was proposed that we should jointly send to the Government of Laos. In that respect the American Government were entirely in agreement with us. We were very glad that Mr. Harriman went to Moscow, because we felt that this personal exchange would be useful, but we are anxious that the two co-Chairmen should jointly be able to prevent this situation becoming worse in Laos.

Mr. Cronin

In spite of the right hon. Gentleman's assurance on the co-operative attitude of the Soviet Government, will he bear in mind that the area occupied by the Pathet Lao force is steadily increasing over the years and is within measurable distance of the Mekong Valley? Will he bear in mind the very serious consequences not only to Laos but also to South Vietnam and Cambodia, if the Pathet Lao advance substantially further?

Mr. Heath

Yes. We have never disguised the fact that this is a critical situation, and I do not think that the hon. Member for Woolwich East (Mr. Mayhew) would disagree with that statement. It is not only dangerous to the countries which the hon. Member for Loughborough (Mr. Cronin) has just mentioned, but also for Thailand. The situation is, as I have described, that, as far as we know, the cease-fire is still holding good. This gives the opportunity for the International Control Commission to visit the area and try to prevent further irruption of the cease-fire.

Mr. Brockway

As China has now declared in favour of the maintenance of the Geneva Agreement and the neutralisation of Laos, will the Lord Privy Seal take advantage of the visit of the Chinese Chief of State to Cambodia and Vietnam to invite him to on-the-spot discussions within Laos itself so as to prevent unilateral intervention, either by America or by China?

Mr. Heath

We have been in contact with the Chinese Government about this matter, but we have not yet had a reply from them to the points we put to them. We would hope that the Chinese Government would influence the North Vietnamese Government in a peaceful direction as to their support for the Pathet Lao. We would hope that the Chinese Government would use all the influence they have over the Pathet Lao and their leaders to maintain the cease-fire and pursue a tripartite policy to maintain the unaligned state of Laos.

Mr. P. Noel-Baker

I apologise to the right hon. Gentleman for having missed my Questions Nos. 6 and 11 owing to difficulty with one of Dr. Beeching's trains. Does he not think that the Laos situation is in fact now intimately bound up with the disastrous situation in Vietnam? Is it not time that there was an international conference on Laos?

Mr. Heath

I quite understand the right hon. Gentleman's desire to fit Questions Nos. 6 and 11 into Question No. 16, and he has shown considerable skill in doing so. I am afraid I cannot agree with him that the situation in South Vietnam, which consists of insurgency supported by North Vietnam, is directly connected with the situation in the Plaine des Jarres at the moment.

Mr. Brockway

Would the right hon. Gentleman answer the specific question I put to him and which he ignored? Will he take advantage of the forthcoming visit of the Chinese Chief of State to this area with a view to opening discussions on the spot with him for a solution of this problem? I do not ask for a final reply now, but will the Lord Privy Seal consider the proposal?

Mr. Heath

If I did not answer the hon. Gentleman's supplementary question directly, I implied by my answer that the methods we are pursuing of contacts with the Chinese Government in their capital are the best way of handling this situation rather than having a discussion between ambassadors and one head of State actually on the spot in Laos. If we wish to deal with this, we must work through the capitals, or alternatively have a full-scale conference. We do not believe that a conference at this point would help to find a solution.