§ 25. Mr. Kaufmanasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will instruct Her Majesty's permanent representative to raise at the United Nations Security Council the question of freedom of shipping in the Bab el Mandeb Strait.
§ Sir Alec Douglas-HomeAs I said in the House on 31st October—[Vol. 863, c. 182–3.]—we have put forward proposals for the resolution of certain immediate problems, including the question of the Bab el Mandeb. Reference to the Security Council would only force the parties to take up public positions which would diminish the prospects for a solution.
§ 35. Mr. Wallasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what facilities were requested from Her Majesty's Government by our American allies during the recent Middle East war; and what reply was given.
§ Sir Alec Douglas-HomeAs my right hon. Friend the Minister of State said in the foreign affairs debate on 31st October—[Vol. 863, c. 302.]—the United States never asked to be allowed to use the bases in this country, or for that matter Cyprus, for the movement of supplies to Israel.
§ Mr. Molloyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek to convene an emergency meeting of the Commonwealth Conference in view of the Middle East situation.
§ Sir Alec Douglas-HomeNo, Sir. Commonwealth Governments consult one another regularly about matters of common interest, including the Middle East, 163W through their established diplomatic channels.