§ 8. Mr. Michael Spicerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to meet representatives of the Soviet Government.
§ Mr. SpicerCan the hon. Gentleman assure the House that, when the Foreign Secretary meets his opposite number in the Soviet Union, he will make it clear that this country, together with its allies, will stand firm against any attempt by the Soviet Union to exploit the new circumstances in Iran, especially as they affect Western supplies of oil?
§ Mr. LuardI am glad to say that there is no evidence so far that recent events in Iran have been primarily the result of any action by the Soviet Union. Hon. Members will have read the firm statement in this regard made by the United States Secretary of State, and I am sure that the Soviet Union is aware that we would take a similarly adverse view of any attempt to exploit the present situation in Iran.
§ Mr. FlanneryDespite the vertical take-off of the entire Tory Party in the general direction of China, when my right 1123 hon. Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary eventually goes to the Soviet Union, will he try to explore the fact that a new leadership now exists in China and that it is in our general interests to see peace between those two great countries to help the whole world? Will he try to discover whether there is any tendency in those two Governments to move towards a rapprochement of the kind that they had in the past?
§ Mr. LuardI agree that this country and the West generally have no interest whatever in trying to stimulate bad relations between the Soviet Union and China. I said earlier what many members of the Government have said, that we do not believe there is anything in our present good and improved relations with China which need in any way be regarded by the Soviet Union as a threat.