EUROPEAN SECURITY: PROPOSED CONFERENCE (Hansard, 19 December 1972)

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

§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE)
My Lords, the talks have not yet concluded. They have adjourned until January 15 for Christmas and to allow for further consultation in Capitals. Agreement has been reached on procedures for the preparatory talks. Delegates have given their Governments' positions in opening statements. Progress has been made on the future work programme.

§ LORD BROCKWAY
My Lords, while thanking the noble Baroness for that Answer, may I ask whether she agrees that, on the whole, these first proceedings promise hope? Also, does she agree that when the meeting resumes the marginal differences which remain on the agenda—the free movement of information, the relationship of military reductions to the Conference and the permanent organisation—are all negotiable issues; and may we have an assurance 947 from Her Majesty's Government that they will seek to find a settlement so that this great hope may be realised?

§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE
My Lords, I agree there is hope that there will be successful conclusions to this preparatory Conference and Her Majesty's Government have certainly taken a leading part. I thought that the aims of the Government were very clearly set out by our Ambassador in Helsinki in November, and I am therefore arranging for a copy of that Statement to be placed in the Library.

§ LORD GLADWYN
My Lords, may I ask the noble Baroness whether it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to suggest that the so-called Brezhnev doctrine should be put on the agenda of the first Conference?

§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE
My Lords, we have many more difficult problems to discuss when we come to the agenda, and there are also the terms of reference of the committees.

§ LORD ORR-EWING
My Lords, will my noble friend make sure that the question of inspection of any reduction in armaments, which is absolutely vital to any agreement, is put in at an early stage of the Conference? If it is put in at a later stage, it may render the Conference null and void.

§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE
Yes, my Lords, I think that the main object of this particular Conference is to agree on practical measures to improve economic and technical co-operation, and to increase confidence in the intentions of those who take part. But the question of mutual and balanced force reductions, to which I think my noble friend referred, is the subject of another discussion.

§ LORD KENNET
My Lords, will the Government nevertheless bear in mind that the word "Security" appears in the title of this Conference, and that what makes us feel insecure in Western Europe is the colossal Soviet military preponderance over Western Europe? Will the Government therefore ensure that the related Conference on mutual and 948 balanced force reductions does indeed come about?

§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE
My Lords, we shall certainly do the best we can. But of course, as the noble Lord rightly said, any negotiation will have to deal with the present and growing disparity between the conventional forces of NATO and those of the Warsaw Pact countries.

§ LORD BROCKWAY
My Lords, would the noble Baroness agree that these subjects are really before a separate conference dealing with reduction in arms on both sides? Is not the Helsinki Conference concerned not only with security but with finding a basis of co-operation between East and West which, finally, is the best basis for security?

§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE
My Lords, I do not seek to give the objects of the Conference, but I would agree with the noble Lord that a third object is to help the freer movement of people, information and ideas. M.B.F.R.s are the subject of preparatory talks at a meeting to be held at the end of January.

§ LORD KENNET
My Lords, in answer to a supplementary question, the noble Baroness spoke of the growing conventional imbalance between East and West Europe. May the House take it that it is in no sense intended to exclude the question of nuclear weapons from the Mutual and Balanced Force Reduction negotiations?

§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE
My Lords, we feel that force reductions of any kind should be seen as the product of détente and not as a prelude to it.

§ LORD KENNET
My Lords, can the noble Baroness answer my question? Are nuclear weapons excluded from the talks?

§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE
My Lords, we have not yet had even the preparatory talks. They are due at the end of January.

§ LORD BROCKWAY
My Lords, are not many of the questions being raised referring to a completely different conference—that is, the conference relating to the mutual reduction of arms?

§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE
Yes, my Lords. Perhaps I should not have answered them.