HC Deb 28 April 1966 vol 727 cc947-8
Q5. Mr. Zilliacus

asked the Prime Minister to what extent, in view of the French Foreign Minister's visit to London and President de Gaulle's visit to Moscow, it is Her Majesty's Government's policy to seek economic and political co-operation with the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, and not to let military commitments to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation interfere with the pursuit of policies for settling outstanding issues and organising peace throughout the whole of Europe.

The Prime Minister

The Government will continue to seek to improve relations with the Soviet Union and the countries of Eastern Europe. A major purpose of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation is to provide the necessary basis from which this improvement may be achieved and from which, together with our allies, we may work for a stable settlement in Europe.

Mr. Zilliacus

Has not the experience of the last 18 months demonstrated that my right hon. Friend was quite right in 1963 in predicting that any attempt to give Western Germany any share in responsibility for nuclear decisions would put an end to any possibility of an agreement with the Soviet Union? Will he not, therefore, stop flirting with this ill-starred idea?

The Prime Minister

I am not flirting with anything. The position, as I stated in 1963, in 1964, in 1965 and in 1966, is that we are opposed to any German finger on the nuclear trigger or to any new finger on the nuclear trigger which is not there already. We have never been opposed to consultation within N.A.T.O. but we are opposed to giving anyone else who has not got it today the basis for starting a nuclear explosion. On this we have always been consistent and we stand on that position.

Sir G. Nabarro

A Tory answer.

The Prime Minister

It was voted against by the Tories in 1963.

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