§ Mr. Rathboneasked the Lord Privy Seal what is the policy of the European Community towards the World Peace Council; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BlakerThe Community as such has not adopted a policy on the World Peace Council, but we have no reason to believe that our partners' national views about the council are much different from our own.
§ Mr. Rathboneasked the Lord Privy Seal what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the World Peace Council; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BlakerHer Majesty's Government have on a number of occasions made known their view that the World Peace Council is a disguised instrument of Soviet foreign policy. They did so most recently at the session of the United Nations Committee on Non-Governmental Organisations on 9 to 19 February which considered the World Peace Council's application for consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. The World Peace Council was seen to have withheld information from the Committee about its activities and its financial dependence on communist sources, and thereupon withdrew its application. The full text of the United Kindom delegation's statement is available in the Library of the House.