§ 3.47 p.m.
§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAMMy Lords, I rise to make a statement which the Prime Minister is making in another place at the present time, and, for the convenience of the House, I think it would be better to read it in the Prime Minister's own words. The statement is as follows:
"I have had in mind for a long time the possibility of a visit to the Soviet Union. As the House knows, when the Soviet leaders visited this country in 1956 they invited Sir Anthony Eden to pay a return visit to the Soviet Union. This invitation was subsequently extended to me by the Soviet Government.
"Recent international developments have made me feel that a visit at the present time would be of value. On my instructions, therefore, Her Majesty's Ambassador in Moscow suggested to the Soviet Government some days ago that I should go to the Soviet Union on the 21st of February for a visit of a week or ten days accompanied by my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary. I am glad to tell the House that on the 2nd of February the Soviet Chargé d'Affaires in London informed us that his Government welcomed this proposal. Our friends and allies have been informed.
"We are, of course, in close consultation with our allies about how best to handle the serious issues which at present face us in Europe. On all these we act together. My right honourable friend and I will not be going to Moscow to conduct a negotiation on behalf of the West. Never- 1194 theless, we hope that our conversations with the Soviet leaders will give them a better knowledge of our point of view and make it easier for us to understand what is in their minds. Thus we and our allies may be better able to judge what our policies and actions; should be. Personal contacts do not in themselves solve international problems, but there are times when they may make a contribution to their solution.
"There are, of course, other important aspects of this visit. There are many matters such as trade, information and cultural relations which we should hope to discuss. I shall also look forward to seeing something of the Soviet Union and the Soviet people. But my principal purpose will be to try to dispel misconceptions and to establish some basis for better understanding.
"An agreed communiqué announcing the visit is being issued this afternoon in London and Moscow."
My Lords, that concludes the statement.
§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, when I saw that there was a possibility that some statement would be made to-day I at once had certain matters in my mind that I felt I might be inclined to raise. However, I must say that I am completely satisfied with the statement which the Deputy Leader of the House has reported to us this afternoon, and I do not wish to go further than to say that, in the difficult state of international affairs to-day, arid having regard to the other matters enumerated in the statement, we hope that the visit will be one of very great success.
LORD REAMy Lords, I am sure the House will want to join the noble Leader of the Opposition in what he has said, and will wish the best of good fortune to Mr. Macmillan and to Mr. Selwyn Lloyd when they go to Russia. I would add that I hope that they may have the opportunity, by some means, somehow, to get a message across to the people of Russia, and not only to the leaders of Russia.
§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAMMy Lords, I think the House would like me to express my gratitude to both the noble Lords for the way in which they have received 1195 this statement. I know it will give my right honourable friend great comfort to know that, in this case, he is, as he believes, representing a united people. I certainly will bear in mind what has been said by the noble Lord who has spoken from the Liberal Benches.