§ LORD KENNETMy 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 whether they now know whether they intend that the reduction of the intermediate-range nuclear missiles now deployed in the western part of the Soviet Union, which are capable of reaching this country but not the United States, should ever be discussed with the Soviet Union; and if so, in what forum.]
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE, FOREIGN COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIAN)My Lords, I am not at present in a position to add to what I told the noble Lord in answer to this Question on this matter on June 22.
§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, is it not almost unique that a country which faces a concrete prospect of being threatened by the existence of certain categories of arms and has none appropriate to counter them should have no intention whatever of discussing the difficulties of those concerned?
§ THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIANMy Lords, I did not intend to imply that these matters would not be discussed in future. In fact, I think that on the last occasion I pointed out that the Government had by no means discarded the possibility of doing so. That, of course, is the answer that I gave to the noble Lord last time and which I repeat to-day. I am sure that the House and the noble Lord realise that this Question really applies to a far wider field than these particular weapons, 1050 but I think that I can assure him and the House that these matters are very much in the mind of Her Majesty's Government at the present time.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, would it not be possible to communicate both with the Government of the United States of America and with the Government of the Soviet Union, indicating that we are very much implicated in this problem and asking that in their considerations, in which we wish them well, this matter should be discussed with us before the discussions conclude?
§ THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIANMy Lords, I think there is no doubt whatsoever that the Governments of the United States and the Soviet Union are very well aware of the interests of Her Majesty's Government in this matter.
§ LORD SHINWELLMy Lords, if Her Majesty's Government are reluctant to make representations and take part in the SALT talks, would it not be desirable that NATO, which is primarily concerned, and the whole of Europe should make suggestions both to the United States and the U.S.S.R. that they should be involved in the discussions?
§ THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIANMy Lords, I imagine that the noble Lord knows that the SALT talks are bilateral, between the Americans and the Russians. That being the case, other countries are not directly concerned in these talks. At the same time, I am quite certain that both the American and the Russian Governments are well aware of the position of other members of the NATO alliance.
§ LORD SHACKLETONMy Lords, are there not discussions going on in NATO with regard to a détente for the mutual reduction of armaments? Is it possible to have those discussions without also bearing in mind these major weapons?
§ THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIANMy Lords, it is certainly the case that there are discussions going on in NATO regarding the question of the reduction of armaments and ancilliary matters. I do not think that I can comment on the last part of the noble Lord's remarks, but I will certainly bear in mind what he has said.
§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, is it not the case that in the SALT talks the Russians and the Americans are talking about 1051 weapons with which they can annihilate each other, but nobody anywhere is talking about the weapons which can annihilate only us?
§ THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIANMy Lords, this of course is something of which I am quite certain that the House, and indeed the country and many other countries in Europe, are well aware. I quite understand the point of the noble Lord's supplementary question, but I think I must refer him to my original Answer.