HC Deb 01 November 1946 vol 428 cc153-4W
Mr. F. Willey

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs for what reasons it was agreed to cancel German trading liabilities to Hungary; and whether it is proposed to take any steps to alleviate the effects of this cancellation on the economic condition of Hungary.

Mr. Mayhew

The proposal that Hungary should renounce financial claims against Germany was approved by the Paris Peace Conference by a two-thirds majority. The relevant article to the draft Peace Treaty reads as followsHungary hereby renounces on its own behalf and on behaf of Hungarian nationals all claims, including debts, against Germany and German nationals outstanding on 8th May, 1945, except those arising out of contracts and other obligations entered into, and rights acquired, before 1st September, 1939. This renunciation shall be deemed to include not only all inter-governmental claims in respect of arrangements entered into in the course of the war, but also all claims for loss or damage arising during the war. This renunciation shall be without prejudice to any

France, other Allied countries, and the U.S., French and Soviet zones, respectively; and what are the total imports of electricity into the zone.

Mr. J. Hynd

The present capacity is 2,024,000 kilowatts. Details of the electric power available for the week ended 16th October, 1946, are shown in the following table:

dispositions in favour of Hungary or Hungarian nationals made by the Powers in occupation of Germany."

Under the terms of the Paris Agreement on Reparations, the Allied and Associated Powers had already renounced all their own claims of this nature against Germany, and a comparable article in the Italian Treaty had provided for complete renunciation by Italy. There would be no justification for extending to Hungary more favourable treatment in such matters than has been accepted by the Allied and Associated Powers. While His Majesty's Government are anxious to see the economic recovery of Hungary, and have given positive proof of their anxiety on this score, they would not be prepared to advocate the revision of this Article of the Treaty.