HC Deb 24 May 1973 vol 857 cc661-2
Q6. Mr. Dalyell

asked the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with President Nixon about the question of the sharing by the United Kingdom with France of nuclear secrets acquired from the United States of America under the Anglo-American Treaty of 1958.

The Prime Minister

I am not prepared to reveal details of my confidential discussions with President Nixon.

Mr. Dalyell

Are we being inhibited by the Americans in this matter?

The Prime Minister

No, Sir.

Mr. Wyn Roberts

Will my right hon. Friend confirm or deny the Press report that both he and President Pompidou turned a cold shoulder to President Nixon's idea of the European summit conference?

The Prime Minister

That is certainly not true. What we did was to discuss the proposals put forward in Dr. Kissinger's speech, which concerned Atlantic defence, trade, monetary reform, and so on. We also discussed what we thought were possible means of dealing with these matters, since one of them concerns the Atlantic alliance, another the GATT, another the IMF and another two the European Community. We had preliminary discussions on the question how we could bring these together or, alternatively, discuss each in its own forum with the appropriate group. We also discussed what sort of statement it might be possible to make as a result of these discussions.

Mr. Healey

Does the Prime Minister not agree that any attempt, particularly at this time, to set up an Anglo-French nuclear deterrent would impose grave strains on the unity of NATO and, indeed, the European Community, while threatening the growing and welcome détente between NATO and the Warsaw Pact Powers?

The Prime Minister

The right hon. Gentleman has always had his views on this. He knows that I do not accept them. I have always told the House quite publicly that this is something for the future.

Mr. Hastings

In view of the lamentable lack of men for the defence of West Europe, does my right hon. Friend not agree that nuclear defence in general becomes more important?

The Prime Minister

I think my hon. Friend was asking whether I agreed that conventional forces become more important—[HON. MEMBERS: "The other way round."] The American nuclear power is committed to Europe. There is general agreement that the European Powers ought to play their full part in providing conventional forces.

Mr. Atkinson

In view of the Prime Minister's answer about the European summit, why does he remain the only leader in Europe who is still hostile to the Soviet Union'?

The Prime Minister

The hon. Gentleman is not entirely accurate in what he has said. First, I am not hostile to the Soviet Union. As I recently reminded another gathering, it was the British Conservative Government who worked with the American Government to bring about the partial test ban treaty, which was the first move towards détente between East and West. It was the British Conservative Government who first gave major credits to the Soviet Union. That was when I was at the Board of Trade in 1964. In all these matters a British Conservative Government have always taken the lead.