10. Mr. Hardasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a further statement on the part being played by Her Majesty's Government in working for a settlement of the Cyprus question.
Mr. James CallaghanMy right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and I had useful bilateral discussions with Mr. Karamanlis, Mr. Demirel and Mr. Christophides in Helsinki last week. The good offices of the Nine have been made available through the Italian Presidency to help the parties in their search for a lasting settlement in order to supplement the efforts of Dr. Waldheim, the Secretary General, at the United Nations.
§ Mr. HurdWill the right hon. Gentle-man say a little more about what he hopes Signor Moro, acting on behalf of the Community, will be able to achieve in this matter? Are we right in deducing from what he has been saying on these matters that he sees more hope in this kind of diplomacy, and in the talks in Vienna, than in the House's condemnations of Turkey, or in an arms embargo against Turkey?
Mr. CallaghanThe discussions between Mr. Denktash and Mr. Clerides, according to the reports I have been receiving, have been more hopeful than for some time past. Although I have said constantly in the House that there are hopes of the talks succeeding and that I trust they will succeed, I think I can say that with a little more confidence today.
As regards Signor Moro's work, I have not had a conversation with him since he began his talks. I understand that he was going to probe to see how far he could carry any offer of mediation. It was a very preliminary discussion. As regards condemnation, I do not think that an arms embargo on Turkey will make that country any more flexible; rather the reverse. However, we must all acknowledge that at the moment Turkey has not carried out the United Nations resolution. That must be made clear. Although we do not go round whipping Turkey all the time, we must try to get a settlement that will ensure that Turkey can be brought into conformity with the United Nations.
§ Mr. AtkinsonDoes my right hon. Friend recollect that some time ago in the House he suggested that many British workers' livelihoods would be at stake if we were to prevent the shipment of British arms to Turkey? Even though that embargo can be placed on Turkey pending compliance by Turkey with the United Nations resolution, is not my right hon. Friend getting his priorities wrong in terms of the answer which he has just given? Despite the effect that it might have on our economy, would we not be doing a good deal towards world morality if we were able to tell Turkey that we would not supply arms so long as those arms could be used for the purpose of defeating the United Nations resolution?
Mr. CallaghanMy hon. Friend is get-ting the time scales wrong. At present, no arms of any consequence are being supplied to Turkey, and I have never said there are. What we are discussing is whether there should be talks between British firms and the Turks to see whether, in future, there will be orders coming to this country that might result in work that will take place in two years' time in the fulfilment of orders in three years' time. That is what we are talking about. We are not talking about any immediate consequence. For us to say now that we shall place an arms embargo on Turkey would be an almost completely meaningless gesture.
§ Sir John RodgersThe whole House will welcome the fact that the talks between Mr. Denktash and Mr. Clerides have made progress and look as if they could make even more progress, but will the right hon. Gentleman hazard a guess whether Archbishop Makarios's rôle in the negotiations has been a help or a hindrance?