§ 2.44 p.m.
§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, I beg leave 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 their opposition to the proposal in the Draft Soviet Disarmament Treaty, that troops and bases outside national frontiers should be withdrawn in Stage 1, takes account of the fact that this proposal would seem to involve the inspected withdrawal of 865 Russian troops and bases in the Ukraine, in White Russia, and in Outer Mongolia.]
§ THE EARL OF DUNDEEMy Lords, I should be delighted to think that the draft Soviet Disarmament Treaty would involve the inspected withdrawal of Russian troops from such a wide area, but unfortunately I think it most unlikely that the Government of the U.S.S.R. would regard the Ukraine and White Russia, which are two of its constituent republics, as being for this purpose outside its national frontier. Alternatively, it would no doubt find units which would be described as Ukrainian or White Russian for the purposes of the Treaty. This leaves Outer Mongolia which, as a separate State, would certainly be covered by this provision of the Soviet Draft Treaty; but its military importance is small.
§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, the noble Earl sees what I am driving at. These portions of the Soviet Union are represented as if they were separate nations at the United Nations. Might it not be a good idea to try, because even if it did not turn out like that, it might turn out that this State which is partially defaulting in its payments would accept a reduction of the very heavy representation it maintains in New York?
§ THE EARL OF DUNDEEMy Lords, I can see what the noble Lord is driving at, but I think neither Soviet Russia nor any of the Iron Curtain States are driving in the same direction.