§ 3.27 p.m.
§ LORD VANSITTARTMy Lords, I beg to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have thought of bringing before the United Nations the corrupting and subversive activities of King Saud and his agents as constituting a threat to peace.]
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (THE MARQUESS OF READING)My Lords, Her Majesty's Government do not intend to take the initiative in raising matters at issue between them and the Saudi Government in the Security Council. They hope that the Saudi Government may be brought to recognise the danger caused by these activities to stability and peace in the 976 area, including Saudi Arabia itself, without the necessity for acrimonious public debate.
§ LORD VANSITTARTMy Lords, I thank the noble Marquess for his reply and I shall certainly not press him further on the matter to-day, as I understand the difficulties. I would merely reserve the right to return to the question should these objectionable activities persist.
VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLS-BOROUGHMy Lords, may I ask as a supplementary question? Could the noble Marquess tell us now whether or not there is complete agreement between the United States and ourselves with regard to these happenings in Saudi Arabia and neighbouring countries?
THE MARQUESS OF READINGMy Lords, that point does not strictly arise from the Question, but of course it was one of the matters discussed at Washington. I do not think that the noble Viscount need have any apprehension as to differences of any substance between us in these matters.