§ 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 what were the conclusions of the Ministerial meeting of the Central Treaty Organisation (CENTO) in Washington on May 21 and 22, 1974.
§ LORD GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, the Ministers had a thorough and constructive exchange of views on recent international developments giving special attention to matters affecting the CENTO region and reviewed the prospects for promoting further co-operation within the alliance in all its activities. A copy of the final communiqué has been placed in the Library.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, I thank the Minister for that reply. Will he agree that this Organisation, formed several years ago, has now become rather outdated by developments? There has been the move for the settlement in the Middle East, the changes in Pakistan and, indeed, the visit of President Nixon. Will the Minister assure me that in the Defence Review the future of this Organisation will be considered?
§ LORD GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, I can give the assurance for which the noble Lord, Lord Brockway, asked in the latter part of his supplementary. The Defence Review will, of course, take into 327 account all arrangements of this kind. As to the usefulness of CENTO and its continuing utility, I have no doubt, and Her Majesty's Government have no doubt at all, that it has served in the past, is serving in the present and will serve in the future as a peaceful and stabilising force in this region.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, may I ask the Minister, though he referred to this point only indirectly, whether this discussion included the issue of the Indian Ocean, and particularly the lease of Diego Garcia to the United States? Also, will Her Majesty's Government approach this problem from the point of view of the Asian nations which are regarding the neutralisation of the Indian Ocean?
§ LORD GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, the points considered in the meeting in Washington are adumbrated in the communiqué to which I referred, and which is available. The other questions which the noble Lord, Lord Brockway, raised are somewhat wide of his present inquiry, and I would suggest that he might give consideration to raising them separately.
§ LORD ORR-EWINGMy Lords, will the Minister bear in mind that there are many in other places in the House who would warmly endorse his first reply to this Question. This is a very sensitive area, and the greater the co-operation that can be undertaken with those who are interested in this area the better for a peaceful settlement in this area. It is very important that we should keep talking, rather than risk any conflict in an area which is of tremendous importance to the entire civilised world.
§ LORD GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, I endorse everything that the noble Lord, Lord Orr-Ewing, has said. This is a sensitive area of great importance to peace and stability. It is also an area of importance to this country where the potential for trade, among other things, is very great indeed.
§ LORD BLYTONMy Lords, while I appreciate the attitude of the Asian communities on neutralisation, will the Minister agree that we should be careful in our review of CENTO, because the 328 Russians are now all over the Indian Ocean and we have many interests to protect in the area?
§ LORD GORONWY-ROBERTSYes, my Lords. These are serious and important considerations. One of the uses of CENTO is to examine on the spot the implications of developments such as my noble friend Lord Blyton has mentioned. The future of the Indian Ocean as a peaceful ocean, and other matters, are of primary importance to the countries concerned. We and the United States are very glad to join with them in considering these questions.
§ BARONESS GAITSKELLMy Lords, may I ask the Minister whether it would have been just as appropriate for my noble friend Lord Brockway to ask that Question of the Prime Minister of India, since they have exploded their first nuclear bomb?
§ LORD GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, I think we would all wish to ask certain questions of our fellow member of the Commonwealth in the light of what has happened—the exploding of the nuclear device. Of course, Her Majesty's Government take a serious view of this development. As one of the countries most concerned with the preparation and successful promulgation of the nonproliferation treaty, we have made very strongly and very clearly known to our Indian fellow member our concern about this development. We shall with other countries, of course, and hopefully with India, seek to strengthen the non-proliferation treaty to avoid happenings of this sort in the future.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, is the Minister aware that while I have no opportunity of putting a question to the Indian Prime Minister in her Legislature, I have put this question in communications to her?
§ LORD SEGALMy Lords, may we take it from my noble friend's replies that this Government have no intention of withdrawing East of Suez?
§ LORD GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, if the question is related to the Question on CENTO, we have no intention of withdrawing from CENTO.