§ Mr. J. Ameryasked the Prime Minister what reply he has sent to the message he has received from the Italian Partisans of Peace urging that pacific negotiations for a settlement of world peace should be promptly carried out.
§ The Prime MinisterIn my speech in the foreign affairs debate on 11th May, I said that "I believe that a conference on the highest level should take place between the leading Powers without long delay." At the same time I added "this would be a most fatal moment for the free nations to relax their comradeship and preparations. To fail to maintain our defence effort up to the limit of our strength would be to paralyse every beneficial tendency towards peace both in Europe and in Asia." In these circumstances, I did not think that any reply to the message referred to in the Question was necessary.