§ 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 whether they will now propose to the Security Council of the United Nations that a conference should be held at Geneva, representing all Governments concerned, to consider ways and means to bring peace to the Middle East.
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE)My Lords, if at any time we thought that such a conference could assist a settlement we would not hesitate to propose it. But at present the attitude of the parties to the dispute would seem to rule this out.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, while thanking the noble Baroness for that reply, may I ask whether she would not agree that in these last few weeks there have been very hopeful developments: King Hussein's article in The Times; his visit to Washington; the letter from the noble Lord, Lord Goodman, and his colleagues, and the visit this week of the adviser of the President of Egypt. Are not all these facts which suggest that some big new initiative should be taken for peace in the Middle East?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, I think it is true that President Nixon said that peace in the Middle East must have a high priority. I agree that the article by King Hussein was most interesting, and I was glad to see also that he supported Security Council Resolution No. 242.