§ Q5. Mr. Dalyellasked the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the President of the United States on co-operation in the marine sciences and development of the ocean environment.
§ Q8. Mr. Bostonasked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his talks with the President of the United States of America.
§ Q11. Mr. Murrayasked the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with President Nixon on the possibility of a summit meeting between the United Kingdom, the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
§ The Prime MinisterMy hon. Friends will be aware that my discussions with President Nixon are still in progress.
§ Mr. DalyellCan consideration be given to the problems of the actual emplacement of undersea weaponry on the seabed? This is rather different from Polaris-Poseidon problems.
§ The Prime MinisterI have not in fact spoken to President Nixon on this question, but my hon. Friend will be aware and will welcome, as I welcome, the fact that the United States has now proposed that the 18-nation Disarmament Committee should take up the question of arms 1280 limitation on the seabed. I think that this is the real forum for it. We are supporting this proposal and we are most ready to discuss the arms control aspects of the seabed in the E.N.D.C. when it reconvenes.
§ Mr. MurrayIs the Prime Minister aware that I am prepared to swap the United States and the Soviet Union for France at the present time? In view of world tensions, particularly in the Middle East and in Africa, will my right hon. Friend seriously consider whether a secret meeting is not necessary?
§ The Prime MinisterI am not sure that the disposition of these great territories is exactly within the control of my hon. Friend, nor is it being discussed in the talks with President Nixon. The Middle East and other areas of tension are being discussed in the talks here in London. My hon. Friend will be aware of the agreement of the four Powers, which are the four permanent members of the Security Council, to discuss the question of the Middle East in the Security Council. I am sure that this is right. We must await the progress of those discussions.
§ Mr. MartenHas the Prime Minister drawn the attention of the President of the United States to Motion 171 on the Order Paper which is signed by 105 Members and calls upon the Government to undertake an examination of a free trade area?
§ The Prime MinisterI think that the hon. Gentleman entirely under-rates the capacity of President Nixon's briefing sources if he feels that he had not already seen for himself the Motion on the Order Paper. Conscious as I was this morning, however, that President Nixon might possibly not have had time to digest its full implications, still less the importance of its signatories, I did, in fact, feel it appropriate to draw it to his attention, though, unfortunately, I could not remember the actual number on the Order Paper. I contented myself with giving President Nixon some indication of its contents.
§ Mr. HefferAs my right hon. Friend a couple of weeks ago in this Chamber agreed that he would consult President Nixon regarding Greece, will he indicate whether the question of Greece has been 1281 discussed with President Nixon? Secondly, is my right hon. Friend aware that the official Greek junta Press has been deliberately falsifying exchanges of opinion in the British House of Commons?
§ The Prime MinisterI did see a Press report in the miscellany column of The Guardian suggesting that some authority in Greece had rather misrepresented, in the column"s own phrase, an Answer I gave in the House last week. I have not had a chance of examining that. However, it would not be the first time that statements that I have made in the House have been misrepresented in the Press of other countries.
§ Mr. ThorpeWhile welcoming any measure towards freer trade, may I ask the Prime Minister whether he has indicated to the President that it is in America's interest that there is a strong and independent Europe, that this needs political integration, that, therefore, N.A.F.T.A. is no alternative to the Community and that we are pursuing our application in that regard?
§ The Prime MinisterIt is my judgment that President Nixon is capable of forming his own judgment on these important matters. Indeed, if that were not so, the right hon. Gentleman might have an opportunity to press the point on him later this afternoon. The President has been made fully aware, as I think he was aware all along, of our attitude to the European Economic Community—that our application is in to join the Community and that the application remains in.