§ 2.30 p.m.
§ LORD LLOYD OF KILGERRANMy 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 the procedure for European political co-operation on foreign policy referred to in Command Paper No. 5432, presented to Parliament in September, 1973:
- (a) has worked satisfactorily in relation to the attempts to obtain a ceasefire in the Middle East war;
- (b) is working satisfactorily in relation to the attempts to secure a permanent peace in the Middle East;
- (c) is therefore "such as to enable Europe to make an original contribution to the international equilibrium" arising out of the Middle East problems.
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE)My Lords, co-operation on foreign policy among the European Community countries is making good progress. The Declaration of the Nine issued in Brussels on November 6 is a major advance in developing a common attitude towards the Middle East problem. The views of the Nine about the basis for a permanent peace are therefore clear. This unity should enable the Community to make an important contribution towards a peace settlement.
§ LORD LLOYD OF KILGERRANMy Lords, while thanking the noble Baroness for her Answer, may I ask her a supplementary question, dealing simply with procedural matters and relating to limbs (a) and (b) of my Question? First, would the noble Baroness say whether the groups of the so-called correspondents for dealing with the implementation of co-ordination of foreign policy, as envisaged in paragraph 3 of Part 2 of this Command Paper, were operating at the outbreak of the war? Secondly, may I presume to ask the noble Baroness—
§ LORD LLOYD OF KILGERRANMy Lords, may I ask the noble Baroness whether the three working parties which are referred to in paragraph 2(b) of the Command Paper were working at the time of the outbreak of the Middle East War, or had their operation been cancelled in accordance with paragraph 4(a) of Part 2 of the Paper?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, all the various methods at all levels within the European Community which work towards finding a common solution for recommendation to Ministers have been working satisfactorily, and they have done so not only on the Middle East (which is the subject of this Question) but on other questions as well.
§ LORD GLADWYNMy Lords, while recognising that the second version of the "Davignon" procedure, if it may be so called, is a considerable advance on previous techniques, would the Government not agree that the important thing is to make further progress towards institutionalising this organisation, notably by the formation, which has so often been recommended, of a political secretariat?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, the next major step will be the report which the major institutions have been asked to draw up before the end of 1975, for submission to a summit conference.
§ BARONESS LLEWELYN-DAVIES OF HASTOEMy Lords, referring to the third part of the noble Lord's Question, could the noble Baroness say what original contribution to international equilibrium in the Middle East the E.E.C. has made?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, I think the important point here—and it is a very important one—is that on a major political question the Nine countries of Europe have managed to agree on a common policy.
§ THE EARL OF ONSLOWMy Lords, would the noble Baroness give a pledge to this House that Europe will be represented, either nationally or by Mr. Christopher Soames, at the forthcoming peace conference in the Middle East? Secondly, would the noble Baroness make it clear to the Americans that some of us feel that if they were to bring pressure to bear to exclude Europe from the peace conference, this would not be regarded as a friendly thing to do?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, I could not give any assurance on who will actually be represented at the forthcoming peace conference. So far as the United States 4 is concerned, I understand that Dr. Kissinger will attend the NATO Ministerial meeting in Brussels on December 10 and 11.
§ LORD SEGALMy Lords, since the agreement among the Nine powers has resulted in two countries being designated, "Friend of the Arabs No. 1 and No. 2", would it be correct to designate Holland as No. 9?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIENo, my Lords; we do not go by numbers.