§ LORD BROCKWAYMy 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 how far they and NATO are associated with the proposal that the U.S.A. Navy should have a home port in Greece.
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE)My Lords, these negotiations are a bilateral matter between the Governments of Greece and the United States.
§ LORD BROCKWAYBut nevertheless, my Lords, are not NATO and the British Government involved? Is not Greece a member of NATO, and is it not rather a mockery that a State which the Guardian has described as "a Fascist one-man show" should be a member of NATO, which claims to stand for a free world and democracy?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, Greece is very important to the Western Alliance, and Greece is very well aware of our views about her internal arrangements which are, of course, her affair.
§ LORD MAYBRAY-KINGMy Lords, is the noble Baroness aware that many of us who believe in NATO as a bastion of democracy against the Communists take the view that the defence of democracy would be much stronger in Greece if Greece were again allowed to become democratic?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, we are all 560 hopeful that Greece will be restored to full democratic processes; but I remember that it was also the view of the last Government that it would not benefit the Greek people in any way were we to undermine Greece's position in NATO, which would jeopardise the security of the Alliance as a whole.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, does not the noble Baroness's reply to my Question indicate that military strength is being placed before principle in this matter? Can she say what response has been made to the resolution of the North Atlantic Assembly that we should use our influence towards securing political freedom in Greece?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, as I think I said earlier, Greece is very well aware of our hope that she will restore the full democratic process.
§ LORD BARNBYMy Lords, would not the noble Baroness agree that it gives little advantage to our trade with any country to be continually criticising the Government of that country, which, after all, is a matter of decision by that country and not by other Parliaments?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, my noble friend is quite correct: it is an internal matter for the Government of Greece. Nevertheless, we do wish it to be known that our views on the subject are clear.