HL Deb 13 June 1973 vol 343 cc692-4
LORD KENNET

My 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 what explanation Finland has given to the European Community of the fact that the agreement between them which was initialled on July 22 last year is still unsigned, whereas the agreement between Finland and the Council of Mutual Economic Assistance (formerly COMECON), which was initialled on March 13 this year, was signed only two months later.

THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIAN

None, my Lords. We continue to hope that Finland will, in the course of this year, sign and ratify her trading agreement with the E.E.C.

LORD KENNET

My Lords, has the Government noticed that the Soviet Union is now praising its own recent bilateral treaty with Finland as a model for new style relations between the States of Europe, especially in the context of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe which is taking place in Helsinki itself; and that it is disquieting that the evident first results of this new relationship between the Soviet Union and Finland should be that the Soviet Union has apparently forbidden Finland to sign a treaty which they initialled as long ago as twelve months?

THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIAN

My Lords, I do not think that I would dissent from the noble Lord in saying that there is obviously a special relationship between Finland and the Soviet Union. I hope myself that that will not interfere with Finland's signing the agreement with the E.E.C. In fact we have no indication to suppose that it is going to interfere with that in any way. And, of course, as the noble Lord is probably aware, the latest date for signature of this agreement is November 30, 1973, so they have a little time yet.

LORD KENNET

My Lords, the noble Marquess has said that there is no indication of any interference, but is the Government not aware that there has been the gravest constitutional and political crisis in Finland's history since the Second World War? And will he allow me to send him some newspaper cuttings?

THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIAN

My Lords, I shall be glad to read them.

LORD MERRIVALE

My Lords, would my noble friend not agree that the two agreements are not comparable in any way what ever? Is not the agreement between Finland and the Council of Mutual Economic Assistance—formerly COMECOM—of a very limited nature and not comparable at all with the agreement which Finland and the E.E.C. initialled on July 22 last year? Secondly, would he not agree that any delay there may have been could have been owing, as the noble Lord, Lord Kennet, probably knows very well, to pressure brought by the Communist Party within Finland itself?

THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIAN

My Lords, I would not dissent at all from what my noble friend has said on this point, and, as I say, we continue to hope that the Finnish Government will sign the agreement during the course of this year.