HC Deb 28 April 1969 vol 782 cc929-31
34. Mr. Frank Allaun

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the nature of his reply to the official proposal for discussion of East-West security in Europe made to him on behalf of the Warsaw Pact governments by the Hungarian representative in London at the beginning of April

22. Mr. Roy Hughes

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response Her Majesty's Government intends making to the recent official proposal by the Warsaw Pact members for a European security conference.

Mr. Mulley

Diplomatic exchanges with other Governments are of course confidential. As the House will have seen from the communiqué of the recent North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Ministerial meeting at Washington, the Allies propose, while remaining in close consultation, to explore with the Soviet Union and the other countries of Eastern Europe which concrete issues best lend themselves to fruitful negotiation and an early resolution". Her Majesty's Government intend to play a full and positive part in this process.

Mr. Allaun

Why not seize this offer with both hands? If its sincerity is doubted, would not discussion be the best way of testing it?

Mr. Mulley

It is clear that the resolution of the N.A.T.O. Ministers was to proceed by discussion to see whether it is possible to have fruitful negotiations of a formal character and to identify which subjects can best be dealt with as a priority. As the Government have made clear on many occasions, provided that there is careful preparation, and provided that there is a prospect of success and that the North American members of N.A.T.O. can be included, we welcome the prospect of such a conference.

Mr. Wood

As the right hon. Gentleman has reminded us, the communiqué spoke about the preparation of this list of concrete issues. When are Ministers likely to meet to discuss the issues a list of which is being prepared?

Mr. Mulley

The first step has been to try to identify these issues through our permanent representatives in the N.A.T.O. Council which, as the right hon. Gentleman knows, meets weekly and, if necessary, even more frequently. I think that it is too early to talk of a special Ministerial meeting until we know the outcome of this study.

Mr. Whitaker

Would not all Western democratic organisations be better off disembarrassed of the Greek dictatorship? Therefore, will my right hon. Friend deny the report on the front page of The Guardian today?

Mr. Mulley

This hardly arises from the Question, but if my hon. Friend reads to the end of the same article he will see a formal denial by the Foreign Office of the earlier contents of the article. I should not have thought it necessary to ask for that to be reaffirmed, but I am glad of the opportunity to do so.