HL Deb 09 March 1970 vol 308 cc600-2
LORD BROCKWAY

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what conclusions were reached during discussions with Dr. Willy Brandt regarding preparations for an European Security Conference.]

THE MINISTER OF STATE, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (LORD CHALFONT)

My Lords, the talks with Herr Brandt were, of course, confidential and I cannot reveal details; but I can say that they naturally covered the whole field of East/West relations. I can also say that we fully support the constructive efforts which Herr Brandt's Government is taking to improve relations with his Eastern neighbours.

LORD BROCKWAY

My Lords, in welcoming that statement, may I ask my noble friend whether Her Majesty's Government will do their utmost to support the proposal for a European Security Pact replacing the present military blocs? Is it not the answer, both to nuclear deterrence and to conscription?

LORD CHALFONT

My Lords, I think my noble friend knows that I agree with him that the only real security for the world lies in a disarmed world in which our resources are devoted to more intelligent ends than the production of nuclear weapons or indeed any other kind of military establishment. But to come back to the subject of his Question, which is a European Security Conference, we are ready for constructive talks between East and West at any time in a way that is most likely to lead to results. A conference of the kind my noble friend suggests is one possibility, but I must say that we will not go into a conference with a limited agenda, such as the Warsaw Pact proposes, the only effect of which would be to ratify the status quo in Europe on Soviet terms. If there should be a chance of a European Security Conference which will yield real results then of course we shall support it and be present at it.

LORD BROCKWAY

My Lords, has not even the Soviet Government made it clear that it would go into this conference without preconditions? And is my noble friend aware also of the great longing by many Members on these Benches for a foreign policy by Her Majesty's Government which would express the constructive initiative that Dr. Willi Brandt is reflecting in Western Germany?

LORD CHALFONT

My Lords, as I have said, we fully support Herr Brandt's Eastern policy and think it is constructive and useful, but on this question of a Security Conference I think my noble friend is aware that in the original Warsaw Pact declaration on this subject the Warsaw Pact countries called for a European conference on the non-use of force and on economic, scientific and technological co-operation. That is apparently the agenda of the Warsaw Pact, and that to us is too limited. There is no need for a conference to discuss those matters; they are not the real issues of European security. Nothing that has come out of Moscow since then has been any more constructive or informative. If anything comes which is more constructive or informative we shall examine it sympathetically.