§ 3 p.m.
§ Lord Jenkins of PutneyMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they wish the Geneva talks to succeed, and, if so, whether they think that the release of the spy dust stories and the timing of the recent expulsion of Soviet diplomats were conducive to that objective.
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Young)My Lords, we have made clear on many occasions that we want the Geneva negotiations to succeed. The expulsion of Soviet diplomats from London was related solely to considerations of national security. Speculation about the wider effects of the expulsions on East-West relations was clearly not well founded.
§ Lord Jenkins of PutneyMy Lords, in spite of a somewhat doubtful note in her reply, may I nevertheless congratulate the noble Baroness on her birthday—which I understand is also today.
§ Lord Jenkins of PutneyMy Lords, will the noble Baroness accept that there is a feeling abroad, of which I think she must be aware, that the West is going into these negotiations leading up to the summit talks in a doubtful, uncertain and reluctant way? As I understand it, the Prime Minister is going to Washington in order to dispel some of those doubts. Will the noble Baroness agree that if the object of the exercise is to make it clear that the West is equally keen to reduce nuclear arms to a workable level and is embarking upon these talks with enthusiasm and a determination that they will succeed, then in those circumstances the Prime Minister will carry a lot of goodwill with her on her visit to Washington?
§ Baroness YoungMy Lords, I should like to thank the noble Lord, Lord Jenkins, for his kind congratulations, and I should like to add mine also to the noble Lord, Lord Ponsonby. May I say that the answer to the second part of his question is, "Yes". We hope that the discussions that will be taking place in November will be successful and will have a constructive outcome.
Lord Paget of NorthamptonMy Lords, will the noble Baroness tell us how the difference between success and failure on these occasions is defined? Will it be any easier to define it at Geneva than it has been at the Bahamas? And does it actually matter very much either way?
§ Baroness YoungMy Lords, I think the noble Lord has answered his own question by implying that if you ask a question couched in those terms it is impossible to give a sensible answer. I do not intend to try.