HC Deb 25 March 1965 vol 709 cc732-4
Q2. Mr. Jackson

asked the Prime Minister whether having regard to Great Britain's röle in East-West relations, he will arrange an early visit to Peking by himself or a Minister from the Foreign Office.

The Prime Minister

As my hon. Friend knows, my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade visited China recently. It would not be possible either for me or for a Foreign Office Minister to go at this time.

Mr. Jackson

I thank the Prime Minister for his reply. Would he not agree that in any final Far Eastern solution a committed signature by China is essential? Because of this, would he not agree that Britain, with its present unique rôle in the Far Eastern crisis, could help by sending a representative to get a non-committed, un-Communist view of the attitude of Hanoi and Peking?

The Prime Minister

I think that in any final settlement of particularly the Vietnam situation, though this goes wider than Vietnam, it would be highly desirable, indeed essential, to have China committed to whatever solution is reached. However, we have a long way to go before we get to that situation. At the moment, one of the difficulties is getting a line out to Hanoi and to Peking. But I do not want to say anything about that this afternoon.

Mr. Ridsdale

Would not the Prime Minister agree that the quickest way to reach a peaceful solution in the difficult situation in the Far East is to stand united with our allies and not to try to kick the ball publicly into our own goal, as some Government supporters are doing?

The Prime Minister

I have said on a number of occasions that this situation is a bit too serious for that kind of comment. I hope that the whole House will realise, particularly since we now have to carry the whole burden of what should be the duty of the combined co-chairmen, that we have a very difficult röle to fulfil and neither that statement nor weekend speeches about "craven Members of Parliament" will help.

Sir A. Douglas-Home

As the Prime Minister has mentioned "craven Members of Parliament", will he allow me to say what I meant? The words I used were applied to those members of the Socialist Party, either in this House or outside, who are willing to shelter under the nuclear umbrella of the United States but whenever the United States stands between aggression and the free world are ready to stab them in the back.

The Prime Minister

While I personally am delighted to see the right hon. Gentleman in his place this afternoon—and we are all united on that on this side of the House—I would just say this to the right hon. Gentleman: that all of us are anxious to find a settlement of the Vietnam situation. The right hon. Gentleman and many of his hon. Friends were only too ready to stab the United States in the back when the party opposite were breaking the rule of law over Suez a few years ago.

Sir Alec Douglas-Home

Will the Prime Minister remember that it was I who signed—[Hon. MEMBERS: "Munich."]—and led a British delegation at the successful conclusion—[HON. MEMBERS: "Munich."]—of the Laos negotiations?

Hon. Members

"Munich."

Mr. Speaker

Order. I know that the House desires to get through more Questions, but if it thinks that repetitive interruption assists in the matter I would respectfully disagree.

Sir Alec Douglas-Home

Would the Prime Minister recall that I led the British team at the successful negotiations when we were using British diplomacy to come to an honourable settlement of the Laos negotiations, and will the right hon. Gentleman get together with the Russian co-chairman and our American allies to sec whether this cannot be repeated?

The Prime Minister

Yes, Sir, and we are using British diplomacy to get a solution of a very difficult situation to- day and I hope that we shall have the help of the right hon. Gentleman in this matter. I hope also that we shall have the help of the right hon. Member for Enfield, West (Mr. Iain Macleod), if the Leader of the Opposition is not too craven to put him in his place.

Mr. Speaker

Mr. Zilliacus, Question No. 3.

Mr. Sydney Silverman

rose—

Mr. Speaker

Order. My voice evidently does not penetrate. Mr. Zilliacus.