HC Deb 08 July 1968 vol 768 cc1-4
3. Mr. Marten

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement about the continued blockage of the Suez Canal.

The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Michael Stewart)

The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General is continuing his efforts to promote a settlement in the Middle East on the basis of the Security Council Resolution of 22nd November, 1967, which amongst other things affirmed the necessity for guaranteeing freedom of navigation through international waterways in the Middle East.

Mr. Marten

As the Israelis object to letting these ships out of the northern end of the Canal, can the Foreign Secretary say what steps the Government have taken to try to arrange for the clearing and the unblocking of the southern end of the Canal by forces which are neither Egyptian nor Israeli but international under United Nations supervision, because this, if there is any logic in the case, seems to be the only way to overcome the present problem?

Mr. Stewart

I do not think that I can pronounce on that way of dealing with it, but I am in touch with all the Governments concerned and with some of the private interests concerned, and I hope that we shall be able to make progress.

Sir B. Janner

Why does not my right hon. Friend consider doing something about the suggestion which has just been made? Have not Israel, Egypt and the United Nations agreed to let the ships go through the southern passage and are not the only people causing difficulties about the northern passage the Egyptians, who will not agree to abide by the Security Council's decision?

Mr. Stewart

It would not be sensible for me to make pronouncements about the exact responsibility of any party at this stage. We must hope that the work which Dr. Jarring is doing will produce results.

Sir G. Nabarro

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what further progress he has made in securing release of British Ships trapped in the Suez Canal.

Mr. Biggs-Davison

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what progress has been made with securing the release of British ships trapped in the Suez Canal.

40. Mr. Shinwell

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs with which Governments Her Majesty's Government are negotiating on freeing British vessels laid up in the Suez Canal.

49. Mr. Ridsdale

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what further steps he has taken in the last month to bring about the release of the British ships blocked in the Suez Canal.

Mr. M. Stewart

Her Majesty's Government have continued their efforts to bring about fresh arrangements for the release of the blocked ships, but I remain unable to forecast when the ships will be released.

Sir G. Nabarro

Having regard to the fact that Her Majesty's Government have obtained no satisfactory answer from Nasser, is not the policy of the Foreign Office again demonstrated to be a total flop? Will the Foreign Secretary now give the House an assurance that no British money will be lent to Egypt until our ships are freed from the Canal?

Mr. Stewart

No, Sir. I do not think that that would help.

Sir G. Nabarro

It would help, you know.

Mr. Stewart

If I wanted advice on how to handle the Suez Canal, I should not look across to the other side of the House to get it.

Mr. Biggs-Davison

Is the Foreign Secretary aware that his party's record at the time of the Suez intervention was disgraceful? [AN HON. MEMBER: "Who's talking?"] Does the Foreign Secretary think that the latest statement by the Israeli authorities on their attitude to an attempt to release the blocked ships is significant? Will he comment on that? Is he further aware that we shall be more inclined to take seriously alleged peaceful professions from President Nasser when he shows himself cooperative in releasing these ships?

Mr. Stewart

The answer to the first part of the question is, "Certainly not". With regard to the remainder, there have been, both in the statement to which the hon. Member has referred and from other quarters, signs that we may be able to make progress. I think that everyone will understand, however, that this is a difficult and complicated matter, and it would not be helped by pronouncing judgments of the kind pronounced by the hon. Member at the end of his question.

Mr. Ridsdale

Can the Foreign Secretary say what last communication he has had from Dr. Jarring about this question? If unsatisfactory answers continue, will the right hon. Gentleman raise the matter again in the Security Council?

Mr. Stewart

I shall be seeing Dr. Jarring tomorrow and I shall have to consider whether any further steps of the kind suggested by the hon. Member are appropriate after that.

Mr. Colin Jackson

Would not the Foreign Secretary agree that one of the problems may well be that the Israelis are unwilling to allow dredging ships and other equipment to move from Port Said down to Ismailia so that the channel may be cleared?

Mr. Stewart

Of course, that is one of the difficulties, but my hon. Friend will realise that it is not the only one.

Mr. Dalyell

Is my right hon. Friend aware that those of us who have been on board these ships and have been working with Lloyd's in this matter have come to have a high regard for the work of the Foreign Office in this complex problem?

Mr. Stewart

I am obliged to my hon. Friend for what he has said.

Mr. Eldon Griffiths

Would not the Foreign Secretary agree that there are some hopeful signs in the statement made by Col. Nasser in Moscow and also the evidence of increasing American pressure on Israel? Does he not realise, however, that what upsets people in Britain is the feeling that we, who have so many ships there, are unable to have the same effect on the protagonists as have the Soviet Union and the United States?

Mr. Stewart

I am not sure that that is true. This matter, unhappily, has remained unsettled despite the Security Council resolution and despite the interests of a great many Powers. We shall all have to continue to work on it.