§ LORD CONESFORDMy Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the General Assembly of the United Nations has yet recommended that the task of clearing the Suez Canal should be subject to the orders of Colonel Nasser; and whether such a recommendation would make the theory correspond with the practice.]
§ LORD CONESFORDMy Lords, I thank my noble friend for that Answer. If it is not the orders of Colonel Nasser that is preventing the use of the Anglo-French salvage fleet, what is it? What is the reason for the fantastic delay and for the foolish proposals made by the United Nations and its agents? Is it incompetence or malevolence?
THE MARQUESS OF READINGMy Lords, this is an urgent matter, as the House knows, and difficult negotiations are at the present moment going on. My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary made quite a full statement upon the position yesterday, and I hope that, in view of the urgency and importance of these negotiations, the House will accept it when I say that I do not think I ought to add to what my right honourable friend said.
§ LORD HENDERSONMy Lords, in view of what the noble Marquess has said— and we all agree on the urgency of the clearance of the Canal—is it not as wrong for Colonel Nasser to impose any obstruction to the clearance of the Canal as it would be for Her Majesty's Government to refuse to make available the clearance resources and facilities which they have made available?
THE MARQUESS OF READINGMy Lords, I do not in any way disagree with the position the noble Lord, Lord Henderson has put. But, of course, this is not an operation carried out by Her Majesty's Government; it is an operation that is being carried out by the United Nations.