§ 2. Mr. Peter Morrisonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has any plans to visit Italy.
§ The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Anthony Crosland)I have no plans to do so at present.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that grave security problems may arise in NATO in the event of Communists coming to power in Italy? What contingency plans do we have to cope with such an eventuality?
§ Mr. CroslandI have never thought that there was any advantage to this country, or indeed to anybody, in discussing in advance of the Italian election either what the outcome will be or what we will do on certain hypothetical assumptions. It is right that the Italian people should choose their own Government, and we have no idea what the outcome of the election will be. It seems to be absolutely wrong that we should engage in a public discussion as to what we might do on certain contingency assumptions.
§ Mr. MacFarquharDoes my right hon. Friend share the belief that Dr. Kissinger's 517 well-known fears on this subject are exaggerated, because when the United States has any military secrets it does not entrust them to NATO? Does he agree that that is the case?
§ Mr. CroslandMy own view is that there are many other methods by which secrets emerge to hostile Powers besides the one that we are now considering.
§ Mr. HoosonDoes the Foreign Secretary agree that the situation in Italy shows that nations should have adequate social reforms, and that if a nation is dominated by one party for too long it leads to this kind of situation? Does he agree that NATO should take greater care to ensure that there is uniform economic development as far as possible within member nations?
§ Mr. CroslandI am in favour of one-party domination, provided that it is allied to social reform.