HL Deb 24 February 1953 vol 180 cc670-1
VISCOUNT ELIBANK

My Lords, I beg to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To draw the attention of Her Majesty's Government to a report in The Times of 12th February, 1953, from its Washington correspondent that President Eisenhower has decided—against the advice of the United States Defence Department—that the United States should agree to join in a five-nation military Staff group in South-East Asia, and that Staff talks are to take place between the United States, Britain, France, Australia and New Zealand; and to ask Her Majesty's Government if they can state whether Staff talks, as indicated in the foregoing report, are to take place, and, if so, under whose or what auspices will the talks be held, and for what purposes, and with what end in view.]

THE MARQUESS OF READING

My Lords, there has for some time been close consultation between Her Majesty's Government and the Governments of Australia, New Zealand, France and the United States on common military problems in South-East Asia. This consultation continues and no statement on the subject can be made at the present time.