PRESIDENT NIXON (TALKS) (Hansard, 22 July 1969)

§ Q2. Mr. Ridsdale
asked the Prime Minister whether he will invite President Nixon to London for conversations either before or after his visit to Rumania.

§ Q10. Mr. Luard
asked the Prime Minister if he will seek an opportunity to consult with President Nixon on matters concerning the forthcoming discussions between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on strategic missiles.

§ The Prime Minister
It was announced last week that I shall be having an informal talk with President Nixon on 3rd August when he makes a brief stop [...]n Britain on his way home. There is no formal agenda for the talks.
On strategic arms limitation, intensive consultations have been under way in the North Atlantic Council about the possible bilateral talks between the United States and the Soviet Union, and our views have been made known.

§ Mr. Ridsdale
When the Prime Minister meets the American President, will he congratulate him, not only on the magnificent courage of the American spacemen, but on the great achievements of American technology? To make up for our own shortcomings, will the right hon. Gentleman take the advice of the Select Committee on Science and Technology and establish a Select Committee on Defence?

§ The Prime Minister
On the first part of the supplementary question, the serious part, the hon. Gentleman will no doubt be aware that I took the opportunity on the Atlantic telephone yesterday when President Nixon phoned Downing Street to express to him exactly the views expressed by the hon. Gentleman, which indeed I had done on three American television networks the night before. I am sure that the whole House would endorse the words of congratulations of the hon. Gentleman and those which have poured out from this country to the United States to the astronauts and on the technological achievement and planning which underlay it.
On the second part of the supplementary question, I am not aware that anyone has suggested that this country, under this or a previous Government, should have entered the moon race, with all the resources involved. However, the hon. Gentleman will be aware of our very high degree of technological and scientific advance in the past three or four years.

§ Mr. Luard
Regarding the strategic arms limitation talks, is it not a fact that Europe has important interests in this field which are by no means identical with those of the United States? Has not this country, as the only country 1484 with a viable strategic missile capacity, a particular right to be heard in this respect? Therefore, is it not important that we should remain in very close touch with the United States throughout these talks?

§ The Prime Minister
It is a fact that Europe has an interest in these talks, which may not be exactly the same as that of the United States. For that reason, the United States and her European allies have been discussing all aspects of this problem in the North Atlantic Council. With regard to the position of Britain, we shall, of course, hope to keep in very close touch with the United States Government on this matter, and I would be very surprised if this was not one of the subjects which we shall be discussing a week on Sunday.

§ Mr. Thorpe
Although there is no fixed agenda, may we assume that the Prime Minister will discuss the possibility of an American, if not a British, initiative towards control of the supply of arms, etc., to the Middle East, Nigeria or any other part of the world where they are likely to cause a breach of the peace?

§ The Prime Minister
The right hon. Gentleman can be satisfied that we are in close touch with the United States about this. If he looks up HANSARD, he will find that two Questions were answered by my right hon. Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary on that part of his question which dealt with arms supplies to Nigeria and relief.

§ Mr. E. L. Mallalieu
While understanding as a legitimate Parliamentary ploy the desire of hon. Members opposite to have the Prime Minister out of the country as much as possible, may I ask my right hon. Friend whether he is aware that quite a few Members of this House think that he is quite capable of deciding for himself whom he shall meet and when?

§ The Prime Minister
The meeting with the President will take place in this country. It is very convenient that there is this opportunity.

§ Mr. Tapsell
Do not the Prime Minister's relations with the President seem to have become more informal than has been the custom with British Prime Ministers in the past?

§ The Prime Minister
No, Sir. I have already informed the House of our discussion about my visiting there in the spring and again this summer, which certainly has been possible. But I had the opportunity of a very full discussion with the President on his visit to this country in February and while we have been discussing the possibility of a further meeting, next week's opportunity has now occurred.

§ Mr. Heffer
Will my right hon. Friend convey to the President of the United States how important many hon. Members on this side of the House consider it to be that such bilateral contacts should be made with East European countries? Will he also make it quite clear to the President of the United States that we are extremely concerned and interested in the development of a European security conference, which would include the United States, which could lead ultimately to a European security pact?

§ The Prime Minister
Yes, Sir. On the first part of the question, my hon. Friend will be aware of the line taken by N.A.T.O., including, of course, the United States, in Iceland last year and, again, the declaration which was made in Washington at the N.A.T.O. 20th anniversary celebrations on this question, which can best be explored, I agree, by bilateral contacts.
With regard to the second part of the question, there has been the recent Finnish initiative, which I discussed last week with the President of Finland. As I have already told the House, there now seems to be understanding on both sides that the United States and other non-European countries interested in Europe could be involved. I have also expressed hope after my talks with Herr Brandt that the difficulty about the two Germany's looks like being within reach of solution. Even so, it is important that this conference should be properly prepared.