HC Deb 01 April 1968 vol 762 cc11-2
9. Mr. Coe

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what clarification he has obtained, as co-Chairman of the Geneva Agreement, of the official proposals of the North Vietnamese Foreign Minister of 29th December last on conditions for a cessation of military activity in Vietnam.

Mr. M. Stewart

The North Vietnamese authorities have given no further clarification of their Foreign Minister's speech on 29th December to a Mongolian delegation than was contained in reports of Mr. Trinh's interview with a French journalist on 8th February and various other commentaries.

Mr. Coe

I thank my right hon. Friend for that reply. Can he say whether there has been any clarification of how soon talks could begin? In view of the news today, could he say what strength he attaches to this speech by the North Vietnamese Minister?

Mr. Stewart

On the first part of the question, I regret that there has been no clarification. On the latter part, there is another Question on the Order Paper, when I could more properly deal with this.

21. Mr. Coe

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, as co-Chairman of the Geneva Agreement, he will make proposals to the South and North Vietnamese authorities to reach a settlement without further use of armed force.

36. Mr. Barnes

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if, as co-Chairman of the Geneva Conference, in view of the present rate of civilian casualties on both sides, he will take a further initiative to bring about the end of the war.

Mr. M. Stewart

As the House knows, we are in constant contact with those concerned with the Vietnam war in the hope of bringing about an early end to the use of force in Vietnam and the opening of productive discussions. With regard to President Johnson's latest request for our help in moving towards peace, I would ask my hon. Friends to await my statement at the end of Questions.

35. Mr. Moyle

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will dissociate Her Majesty's Government from further escalation by the United States Government of the war in Vietnam in response to the intensification of North Vietnamese activity in Saigon and elsewhere in the South.

Mr. M. Stewart

As my hon. Friend points out, it is the North Vietnamese who have recently intensified the level of military activity in the war. No American reaction of which I am aware can be described as further escalation, and therefore the question of dissociation does not arise.

Mr. Moyle

Does not my right hon. Friend agree that my Question has been largely answered by President Johnson's statement earlier today? Will he now make representations to the American Government that they should bomb no targets to the north of the demilitarised zone and thus give the Hanoi Government no excuse for not accepting the American offer?

Mr. Stewart

I agree that my hon. Friend's Question has been somewhat overtaken by events. I ask him to await the statement I shall be making at the end of Questions.

Mr. Goodhart

Does not the right hon. Gentleman accept that another massive assault by the Vietcong on cities in South Vietnam would jeopardise this new American initiative?

Mr. Stewart

I should have thought that was self-evident, but I do not think we should start putting forward hypotheses at this juncture.