Air Commodore Harveyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a further statement on the Icelandic fishing dispute.
§ Mr. NuttingOn 20th January I communicated to the Icelandic Minister a proposal that, in order to secure an early decision on a clear-cut and straightforward issue, Her Majesty's Government and the Icelandic Government should agree to refer to the International Court of Justice the question of the base-line drawn across the Faxa Bay. Her Majesty's Government, however, retained their point of view with regard to the other limits, as set out in Notes addressed to the Icelandic Government last year.
The Icelandic Government have now replied that they are prepared to refer the dispute to the International Court of Justice, and that they are prepared to enter into discussions with Her Majesty's Government as to how the matter may be referred, only on condition that the landing ban be lifted as soon as agreement has been reached on the terms of reference to the Court. It has already been made clear to the Icelandic Government that Her Majesty's Government were in no position to give any guarantee about the lifting of the ban. The Icelandic Note is being studied and I hope to make a further statement very shortly.