§ LORD VANSITTARTMy Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask whether His Majesty's Government are sponsoring any proposal whereby Egypt and not Australia would be represented at a Conference to discuss the Far East.]
2§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (LORD HENDERSON)My Lords, His Majesty's Government are not sponsoring any proposal in this sense. They did support the adoption in the First Committee of the General Assembly of the United Nations of the Cease Fire Committee's supplementary report embodying the Committee's "principles" for a settlement of Far Eastern issues. It will be recalled that the last of these "principles" provided that a body should be set up including representatives of the Governments of the United Kingdom, United States, Russia and the People's Government of China. It did not exclude the addition of representatives of other Governments.
§ LORD VANSITTARTMy Lords, I am greatly relieved to hear that His Majesty's Government are not committed to a proposal which I understand to be of Pekinese origin. May I express the hope that if any enlargement is contemplated the interests of Australia in Far Eastern matters will be borne in mind?
§ LORD HENDERSONMy Lords, I can assure the noble Lord that the interests of Australia will be borne in mind. As a matter of accuracy, I should like to say that the suggestion that the Committee should include Egypt was not originated by China. It was first mentioned by Sir Benegal Rau on December 12 in a speech delivered to the United Nations on the second resolution of the Asian Powers.