European Security and Co-operation (Conference) (Hansard, 12 June 1972)

HC Deb 12 June 1972 vol 838 cc973-5 973

§ 4. Mr. Frank Allaun
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, following the ratification of the treaties in Bonn, whether he will now make an initiative towards an early convening of the East-West security conference; and in particular if he will press for it to be held in 1972 rather than in 1973.

§ 42. Mr. William Hamilton
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in the last month towards the convening of a European security conference.

§ Sir Alec Douglas-Home
At the meeting of the Ministerial Council of NATO in Bonn on 30th and 31st May, it was agreed that in the light of the progress that had been made over the ratification of the Federal German treaties with the Soviet Union and Poland, the inner-German agreements and the Quadripartite Agreement on Berlin, it would be right to enter into multilateral talks to prepare for a conference on security and co-operation in Europe.
My colleagues and I also accepted the offer of the Finnish Government to provide facilities in Helsinki for these talks. I will, with permission, circulate in the Official Report the text of the final communiqué issued in Bonn.

§ Mr. Allaun
Yes, but is that good enough? Now that the treaties have been ratified, what reason is there for further delay? Could not the preparatory conference to which the right hon. Gentleman referred be followed by the conference proper this autumn? Is he aware that in many countries we are regarded as dragging our feet and that it seems very foolish, particularly as our country could benefit enormously from mutual balanced force reductions, by devoting the resources to things we need at home and to saving our balance of payments?

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§ Sir Alec Douglas-Home
We are certainly not dragging our feet and never have been, but the hon. Gentleman will realise that certain practical things happen this autumn. One is the American elections. Although there might be multilateral discussions about procedures before the American elections, I do not believe that the political talks and preparation will take place before they are over; but I expect the conference will take place next spring.

§ Mr. Hamilton
The right hon. Gentleman's first answer gives some of us at any rate a certain amount of gratification, so far as it goes. Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that the international situation is now much less frigid as a result of the agreements reached between Mr. Nixon and the Soviet Government and that the time is therefore propitious for such a conference? Will he give an assurance that serious consideration will be given to allowing the East German Government to take part in such a conference because, however odious they are they are a fact?

§ Sir Alec Douglas-Home
The situation is more flexible and more propitious. We are perfectly prepared to take advantage of this. I am not so much concerned with the preparation for the European security conference as with the machinery which may be set up afterwards to identify certain ways in which Russia and the East may find more constructive co-existence than has been possible up to now. Therefore, I think the preparation stage will be comparatively easy and I should like to pursue it in the next few months in a practical way.

§ Mr. Scott-Hopkins
I welcome what my right hon. Friend said about the preparatory stage being comparatively easy. Will he give an assurance that he will consult the EEC countries and the other three applicants to join so that a truly European view can be put forward at the conference, representing as it will do the most important aspect of European life?

§ Sir Alec Douglas-Home
Yes, Sir. The advantage of the conference will be that for the first time countries of Eastern Europe will be on the platform with the countries of Western Europe—in other words, the Warsaw Pact and NATO together, diluted by the unaligned 975 countries like Austria and Finland. This could be the beginning of better things.

§ Mr. Goronwy Roberts
There is a general understanding that this conference of all conferences must be very carefully prepared if it is not to fail and in failing create a new catastrophe. There is a second stage during which the machinery the Foreign Secretary mentioned, which should include the question of membership of the conference proper, will have to be considered. In view of the obvious détente which has come about since the Moscow and Berlin agreements, will the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that he will press with all due speed for the convening of the conference itself in 1973?

§ Sir Alec Douglas-Home
I believe there is no question about the conference being in 1973, and pretty early in 1973. I agree that it should be carefully prepared, but not so carefully prepared that we get stuck in the preparation. That is why I said that I attach more importance to the things that happen after the conference rather than before.
I apologise for not answering the question of the hon. Member for Fife, West (Mr. William Hamilton) about East Germany. The next stage is for East Germany and West Germany to discuss their own affairs. There will then be the question of membership of the United Nations for both countries. It is a little early to go further on that now.

§ Mr. Fletcher-Cooke
Is not the tremendous advance in the past six months the fact that Russia has, not for the first time in her history, admitted both for herself and her satellites that she is a European Power?

§ Sir Alec Douglas-Home
I think this is the hope for the future, that Russia is in reality a European Power. But the history of the past 20 years since the war shows that many of her policies have been directed against Western Europe, so we must keep up our guard while we negotiate. It is a very difficult exercise but one which we are ready to undertake.

Following is the Final Communiqué:—

1. The North Atlantic Council met in Ministerial Session in Bonn on 30th and 31st May, 1972.
2. Ministers reaffirmed that the purpose of the Alliance is to preserve the freedom and security of all its members. Defence and the relaxation of tension are inseparably linked. The solidarity of the Alliance is indispensable in this repect. Allied Governments seek an improvement in their relations with the countries of Eastern Europe and aim at a just and durable peace which would overcome the division of Germany and foster security in Europe.
3. Ministers noted progress in relations between Western and Eastern countries, increasing contacts between the leaders of these countries, and the conclusion of important agreements and arrangements. They welcomed these developments flowing from major initiatives undertaken by their Governments, which had full and timely consultations on these subjects. Such consultations will continue.
4. Ministers welcomed the signing by the United States and the USSR of the Treaty on the Limitation of Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems and the interim agreement on Certain Measures with respect to the Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms. They believe these two agreements limiting the strategic arms of the United States and the USSR will contribute to strategic stability, significantly strengthen international confidence, and reduce the danger of nuclear war. Ministers also welcomed the commitment by the United States and the USSR actively to continue negotiations on limiting strategic arms. They expressed the hope that these two agreements will be the beginning of a new and promising era of negotiations in the arms control field.
5. Ministers noted with satisfaction that the treaty of 12th August, 1970, between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Soviet Union and the treaty of 7th December, 1970, between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Polish People's Republic are to enter into force in the near future. They reaffirmed their opinion that these treaties are important, both as contributions towards the relaxation of tension in Europe and as elements of the modus vivendi which the Federal Republic of Germany wishes to establish with its Eastern neighbours. Ministers welcomed the declaration of 17th May, 1972, in which the Federal Republic of Germany confirmed its policy to this end and reaffirmed its loyalty to the Atlantic Alliance as the basis of its security and freedom. They noted that it remains the policy of the Federal Republic of Germany to work for circumstances of peace in Europe in which the German people, in free self-determination, can recover their unity; and that the existing treaties and agreements to which the Federal Republic of Germany is a party and the rights and responsibilities of the Four Powers relating to Berlin and Germany as a whole remain unaffected.
6. Ministers also welcomed the progress made since their last meeting in the talks between the Federal Republic of Germany and the GDR. They regard the conclusion of the agreements and arrangements between the competent German authorities, which supplement the Quadripartite Agreement on Berlin of 977 3rd September, 1971, as well as the signature of a Treaty on Questions of Traffic between the Federal Republic of Germany and the GDR, as important steps in the effort to improve the situation in Germany. They thus feel encouraged in the hope that, in further negotiations between the Federal Republic of Germany and the GDR, agreement might be reached on more comprehensive arrangements which would take into account the special situation in Germany.
7. Ministers noted with satisfaction that the Governments of France, the United Kingdom, the United States and the Soviet Union have arranged to sign the Final Protocol to the Quadripartite Agreement. The entry into force of the entire Berlin Agreement being thus assured, the Ministers hope that a new era can begin for Berlin, free of the tension that has marked its history for the past quarter century.
8. In the light of these favourable developments. Ministers agreed to enter into multilateral conversations concerned with preparations for a Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe. They accepted with gratitude the proposal of the Finnish Government to act as host for such talks in Helsinki at the level of Heads of Mission under the conditions set out in its aide-memoire of 24th November, 1970. Accordingly, they decided to work out with other interested Governments the necessary arrangements for beginning the multilateral preparatory talks.
9. Ministers stated that the aim of Allied Governments at the multilateral preparatory talks would be to ensure that their proposals were fully considered at a Conference and to establish that enough common ground existed among the participants to warrant reasonable expectations that a Conference would produce satisfactory results.
10. Prepared in this way, a Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe should constitute an important factor in the process of reducing tension. It should help to eliminate obstacles to closed relations and co-operation among the participants while maintaining the security of all. Allied Governments look forward to a serious examination of the real problems at issue and to a Conference which would yield practical results.
11. Ministers considered that, in the interest of security, the examination at a CSCE of appropriate measures, including certain military measures, aimed at strengthening confidence and increasingly stability would contribute to the process of reducing the dangers of military confrontation.
12. Ministers noted the Report of the Council in Permanent Session concerning a Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe. The Report examined the issues which might be included on the Agenda of a Conference as set forth in paragraph 13 of the Brussels Communiqué of 10th December,1971, as well as the procedural questions relating to the convening of a Conference. Ministers directed the Council in Permanent Session to develop further its substantive and procedural studies in preparation for a Conference.
13. Ministers representing countries which participate in NATO's Integrated Defence Programme recalled the offers to discuss mutual and balanced force reductions which they had made at Reykjavik in 1968, at Rome in 1970, and subsequently reaffirmed.
14. These Ministers continue to aim at negotiations on mutual and balanced force reductions and related measures. They believe that these negotiations should be conducted on a multilateral basis and be preceded by suitable explorations. They regretted that the Soviet Government has failed to respond to the Allied offer of October, 1971, to enter into exploratory talks. They therefore now propose that multilateral explorations on mutual and balanced force reductions be undertaken as soon as practicable, either before or in parallel with multilateral preparatory talks on a Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe.
15. These Ministers noted the studies conducted since their last meeting on political, military and technical aspects of mutual and balanced force reductions. They instructed the Permanent Representatives to continue this work in preparation for eventual negotiations.
16. These Ministers stated that the present military balance of forces in Europe does not allow a unilateral relaxation of the defence efforts of the Allies. Unilateral force reductions would detract from the Alliance's efforts to achieve greater stability and detente and would jeopardise the prospects for mutual and balanced force reductions.
17. Ministers took note of a Report by the Council in Permanent Session on the situation in the Mediterranean. They expressed their concern regarding the factors of in stability in the area which could endanger the security of the members of the Alliance They instructed the Council in Permanent Session to follow closely the evolution of the situation and to report to them at their next meeting.
18. The next Ministerial Session of the North Atlantic Council will be held in Brussels in December, 1972.
19. Ministers requested the Foreign Minister of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg to transmit this Communiqué on their behalf through diplomatic channels to all other interested parties, including neutral and non-aligned Governments.