§ LORD OGMOREMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question of which I have given Private Notice:
"Whether Her Majesty's Government have received a reply from the United States Government to their representations relating to the supply of an advanced electronic communications system to Indonesia; and, if so, what is the nature of the reply."
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (LORD WALSTON)My Lords, there is nothing that I can at present add to the information which I gave to your Lordships' House on July 29. As I then observed, the official position of the United States Government in this matter is restricted to a question of approving or withholding an export licence. This question has not yet arisen since, so far as I am aware, no application for an export licence has yet been made. If and when it does, I have no doubt that the United States Government will give weight to our views, which have been made clear to them.
§ LORD OGMOREMy Lords, could the noble Lord inform us what would be the reaction of the United States Government and people to the supply by a British manufacturer of an advanced electronic communications system to President Ho Chi-minh?
§ LORD WALSTONMy Lords: I am afraid that I am not empowered, or indeed qualified, to state what the attitude of the United States Government would be on any matter; but I think that the noble Lord's guess as to what their attitude would be would correspond very closely to my own.