§ 3.5 p.m.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are aware that in a Party political broadcast in September the Minister of Housing said that the war in Korea had ended, and that on October 8 on television the President of the United States gave a high place among the achievements of the present Congress to the ending of the war in Korea; and whether, seeing that the United Nations resolution of May, 1951, imposing an embargo on trade with China was adopted solely in relation to hostilities in Korea, they will now, in view of the foregoing statements and of the detrimental effects of the continuation of the embargo on the prosperity of Hong Kong, initiate steps in the General Assembly to bring the embargo to an end.]
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (THE MARQUESS OF READING)My Lords, the noble Viscount is not quite correct in saying that the United Nations Resolution of May, 1951, was adopted solely in relation to hostilities in Korea. Although the armistice has existed for some time now, it has not yet been confirmed by a final settlement. Nevertheless, Her Majesty's Government are giving the most careful consideration to the future of the strategic controls on trade with China which presents important problems.
VISCOUNT ELIBANKMy Lords, I should like to thank the noble Marquess for his reply, and to ask him whether he is aware that the result of having different restrictions for Russia and China is to allow Western goods to be passed through Russia or Poland to China, thus making China ever more dependent on 566 Russia for supplies and shipping, and at the same time frustrating the United Nations controls.
THE MARQUESS OF READINGMy Lords, the position in regard to Russia and China is, of course, quite different, because this particular resolution of the United Nations applied solely to the position in Korea. That affected China; nothing similar has affected relations with Russia. I appreciate what the noble Viscount has in mind in the other context. That is one of the difficulties.
§ VISCOUNT STANSGATEMy Lords, can the noble Marquess say what precise action on the part of the Peking Government would enable this embargo to be lifted?
THE MARQUESS OF READINGMy Lords, no, I cannot say, and the noble Viscount must, I think, realise that I could not say in advance what particular action would affect the situation. I have said that we are considering the problem.