§ 41. Mr. Swinglerasked the-Lord Privy Seal if he will now propose to other Governments concerned the organisation of an embargo on arms supplies to the Middle East as a means of reducing tension and attempting to negotiate peace settlements.
§ Mr. HeathHer Majesty's Government endeavour to maintain a balance of arms in this area and to prevent an arms race from developing; moreover, Her Majesty's Government would consider with the greatest care any practicable scheme for promoting peace and stability in the area. But, so long as present tensions persist, I do not believe that the hon. Gentleman's proposal would produce useful results.
§ Mr. SwinglerDoes not the right hon. Gentleman agree that it is necessary for some Government to take the initiative in this matter? How can one Government maintain a balance of arms supplies in the area? What would be beneficial to all concerned would be a stoppage of arms supplies completely and an end to competitive arms trafficking. Would not the right hon. Gentleman take an initiative with other Governments who supply arms to try to control the business and stop arms trafficking?
§ Mr. HeathI said that we were endeavouring to maintain a balance of arms in this area. This we do by con- 34 sultation with other countries. We are already finding this a difficult thing to achieve. At the same time, I do not think there in any point in trying to take the initiative to stop all arms supplies to the area.
§ Mr. MayhewWould it not be possible at least to stop all nuclear supplies to the area? For example, is it proposed at Moscow to take a positive initiative to try to prevent nuclear weapons being given to Governments in the Middle East?
§ Mr. HeathI have already defined the terms of the discussions at Moscow. So far as nuclear arms are concerned, it has been suggested that there are already nuclear arms in certain countries in the Middle East.
§ Mr. SwinglerWould the right hon. Gentleman not say that he will take the initiative in these discussions to propose an agreement at any rate, to ensure that no nuclear weapons are supplied to the countries of the Middle East? Would he not take that initiative?
§ Mr. HeathIf the hon. Gentleman is referring to the present discussions in Moscow, their scope has already been defined. If he is referring to some fresh initiative on nuclear weapons, I have explained that we are endeavouring with other countries to maintain a balance and limit supplies going to the Middle East. At the same time, there are some indications that nuclear weapons may already be there.
§ Mr. MayhewWill the right hon. Gentleman be more explicit about this information of nuclear weapons having already arrived in the Middle East? On what does he base this?