§ Q2. Mr. Martenasked the Prime Minister when he proposes to visit the President of the United States of America.
§ Q9. Mr. Hastingsasked the Prime Minister when he plans to visit the President of the United States.
§ The Prime MinisterI would refer to the Answer I gave on Tuesday to a Question by the hon. Member for Worcestershire, South (Sir G Nabarro).—[Vol. 776, c. 83.]
§ Mr. MartenDid the right hon. Gentleman notice that, in President Nixon's Inaugural Address, he spoke of a desire 654 to seek a world open to the exchange of e goods? Is he aware that the Nixon. Administration, before it came to power, had done a detailed study of the proposed Atlantic Free Trade Area? Will he discuss this with the President when he gets there and, in the meantime, carry out an up-to-date—I repeat, up-to-date—study here?
§ The Prime MinisterI greatly welcomed the statement of the President to t which the hon. Member refers, and I am a sure that the whole House did. With regard to any studies made by members y of the Administration before inauguration, no doubt we shall have full details of any conclusions which they have reached, and we shall be ready to discuss their conclusions on any issue which they wish to discuss with us.
§ Mr. HastingsIs it not true that the reason that the Prime Minister did not visit Washington last year is that he knew "that President Johnson considered that he had defaulted over the Far East? When he does visit President Nixon, will he ensure that there is adequate discussion of alternative arrangements for the defence of the free world's interests in South-East Asia?
§ The Prime MinisterThe hon. Member's conclusion rather loses its force J due to the fact that I did visit President Johnson last year—
§ Mr. HastingsIn 1968?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, 1968 was last year, in my recollection. If the hon. Gentleman will further wake up and recall what I said about that in the House after I came back, he would also find that the only reference made in the White House to the question of withdrawal from the Far East was rendered by a baritone from the Metropolitan Opera, who sang "The Road to Mandalay", from which we withdrew 20 years ago.
§ Mr. Hastings rose—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I called Mr. Wyatt.
§ Mr. WyattIs there not something unseemly in this scramble to be first in the queue to see President Nixon, as though we had some special influence in Washington, which we do not possess? Does not the Prime Minister realise that 655 when President Nixon really wants to see him, he will send for him?
§ The Prime MinisterOn two counts my hon. Friend's formulation shows that he does not have the slightest appreciation of the relations between this country and the United States. To answer his point about there being a scramble to be first in the queue, I know of no such scramble. I said publicly the other evening, and I said this in the House, that we of course had to wait until the inauguration before there could be discussions. There will now be discussions, but I have not the remotest idea of who will be first in the queue.