§ VISCOUNT STANSGATEasked Her Majesty's Government when a report will be made on the recent proceedings of the Council of the Baghdad Pact; whether the statements made concerning Israel, Kashmir and other topics are in any way associated with the purposes of the Pact and what steps Her Majesty's 426WA Government propose to take to make clear their active opposition to the views thus expressed.
THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (THE EARL OF GOSFORD)A full account of the Council meeting was contained in the communiqué issued at Karachi on June 6. I am placing a copy of the text in the Printed Paper Office.
In regard to the second part of the question, I assume that the noble Viscount is referring to statements made by the Prime Minister of Iraq at the opening meeting of the Council. There is no reason why all members of the Pact should be associated with the statements made at a meeting by any one member. As the Foreign Secretary pointed out at Karachi, it is the essence of a free partnership like the Baghdad Pact that we should each of us speak our minds on our own responsibility and without committing all our partners on every point.
House adjourned at eight minutes before six o'clock.