HL Deb 09 May 1972 vol 330 cc902-5

2.41 p.m.

LORD SHEPHERD

My Lords, with the leave of the House I should like to ask Her Majesty's Government a Question of which I have given them Private Notice; namely,

Whether they will make an immediate approach to the Soviet Union, as Co-Chairman of the Geneva Conference, urging the re-convening of the Geneva Conference on Vietnam, in view of the grave escalation of the war in Vietnam as a consequence of the statement made yesterday by the President of the United States of America?

THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIAN

My Lords, my right honourable friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary, as Geneva Co-Chairman, will summon the Ambassador of the Soviet Union to discuss the situation. However, in face of the Communist escalation of the war and the refusal so far to take part in serious negotiations, counter-measures by the United States of America were inevitable.

LORD SHEPHERD

My Lords, I am most grateful for the reply given by the noble Marquess and I hope that the representations made by the Foreign Secretary will produce a more helpful answer than previous approaches have done. However, would the noble Marquess not agree that if the Soviet Government is to give any real consideration to this matter then clearly time is of great importance? Would it not be wise to consider an approach to the United States Government so that the date of activation of the mines that we believe have been placed around Haiphong could be delayed? That would give us more time in which efforts could be made to approach the Soviet Government, and perhaps for other parties to be involved in seeking the beginning of negotiations. The consequences of what may happen in Haiphong could be very grave, not only in South-East Asia but throughout Europe as well.

THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIAN

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord for those remarks. I think we all realise the potential dangers in the situation as it is at the moment, and I will certainly undertake to pass on to my right honourable friend what the noble Lord has said with regard to any possible postponement of the blockade, and so on, although of course the noble Lord will realise that I cannot promise him anything in this regard. I know that my right honourable friend hopes to see the Soviet Ambassador at the earliest possible moment and I am sure that he will press him again to reconvene the Conference.

LORD BROCKWAY

My Lords, while supporting the advocacy that Soviet Russia should reconvene with us the Geneva Conference, would Her Majesty's Government also approach the Government of the United States of America, whose recent actions are creating a very dangerous situation in the world? Also, is it not the case that while it is often spoken of as an invasion of South Vietnam by North Vietnam, the Geneva Conference declared the whole of Vietnam to be one nation and the demarcation line to be only provisional before unification took place?

THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIAN

My Lords, I do not think that I should comment on the last part of the noble Lord's question at the present time. What we are most anxious to do is to see peace restored. There are two ways of doing this: one, by reconvening the Geneva Conference, and the other, I suggest, in Paris; and if the North Vietnamese and the Americans in Paris can restart their negotiations I think there will possibly be some hope.

BARONESS SUMMERSKILL

My Lords, may I, knowing the noble Marquess's own background, ask him how we can say to-day, on moral grounds, that the United States of America is justified in escalating the war?

THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIAN

My Lords, I should have thought that the escalation of the war had been going on for the past few weeks.

LORD ORR-EWING

My Lords, can my noble friend tell me whether an invasion is not an invasion when it is done massively by Communist Powers over another State?

LORD DAVIES OF LEEK

My Lords, it is with some diffidence that I intervene, and I apologise to the House, but having looked at this question for the past thirty years I should like to ask the noble Marquess whether he is aware that if we reconvene the Geneva Conference we are not likely to get any Asiatic Powers there whatsoever? Further, is the noble Marquess aware that it is difficult for us now not to be emotional about this matter, because of the origins, which are explained clearly in Anthony Eden's book, Full Circle, which denounces the brinkmanship of Dulles from which this position has sprung? It is a dishonour to the Christian and the white world.

THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIAN

My Lords, I think we are getting into rather deeper water than the original Question, which was to do with urging the Soviet Union to reconvene the Geneva Conference.

LORD SLATER

My Lords, can the noble Marquess tell us whether the House will be kept informed of the outcome of such talks as are to take place between his right honourable friend and the Soviet Ambassador in regard to this important matter?

THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIAN

Yes, my Lords, I can certainly give that assurance to the House.