HC Deb 08 December 1969 vol 793 cc1-2
1. Mrs. Renée Short

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about his discussions with the Foreign Minister of Roumania.

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

My discussions with Mr. Manescu were comprehensive and useful. They dealt mainly with international problems of common concern. Some questions of bilateral relations were also touched on. A copy of the communiqué which was issued after the visit of the Chairman of the Roumanian Council of Ministers is available in the Library of the House.

Mrs. Short

I thank my right hon. Friend for that reply. I have already seen the communiqué. In view of the lack of enthusiasm from my right hon. Friend and his Department about the security conference about which we are all concerned, does not my right hon. Friend think that it would have been better if he had taken more advice from Mr. Manescu and less from Mr. William Rogers of the United States Department?

Mr. Stewart

No, Sir. I think that my hon. Friend has got this wrong. She will see from the communiqué that Mr. Manescu and I took a common view about such a conference. In any case, there is a later Question on this matter.