Suez Canal

HC Deb 26 November 1956 vol 561 cc2-3W

35. Mr. Warbey

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why he rejected the proposal of the Egyptian Government to continue negotiations on the Suez Canal question at Geneva on 29th October or at some other convenient place and time.

Commander Noble

The statement that my right hon. and learned Friend rejected a proposal of the Egyptian Government to continue negotiations is incorrect. The position in mid-October was that the Egyptian Government had accepted the six requirements set out in the Security Council's resolution of 13th October, But it had neither accepted the 18-nation proposals nor put forward any other comprehensive scheme meeting the six requirements and providing equally effective guarantees for the users of the Canal. It was scarcely possible to continue the interchanges which my right hon. and learned Friend had been having in New York until the Egyptian Government put forward such proposals.

My right hon. and learned Friend stated publicly in his speech at Liverpool on 20th October that we were ready to meet a representative of Egypt as soon as the Egyptian Government put forward such proposals.

39. Mr. Rankin

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will urge the United Nations to recruit teams of international salvage technicians to ensure the rapid clearing of the Suez Canal.

Commander Noble

The question of the rapid clearance of the Suez Canal by international salvage technicians is now being considered by the United Nations Secretary-General, who is aware of the views of Her Majesty's Government. In this connection I have nothing to add to the interim statement made by my right hon. Friend the Lord Privy Seal on 22nd November.

Mr. Warbey

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what communications he had with the United States Government prior to 30th October, in relation to the use of force in the Suez Canal dispute.

Mr. Dodds-Parker

I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. and learned Friend's reply of 5th November to the hon. Members for South Ayrshire (Mr. Emrys Hughes) and Newcastle-under-Lyme (Mr. Swingler).