HC Deb 14 December 1959 vol 615 cc93-4W
62. Mr. Healey

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to what extent Her Majesty's Government considers the gentleman's agreement concerning representation on the Security Council of the United Nations as still valid.

Mr. Profumo

Her Majesty's Government continue to attach importance to maintaining the gentleman's agreement, though we recognise that in practice it has been impossible to observe its appli- cation to the Eastern European seat. This has been due to the refusal of the Soviet bloc to agree to the expansion of the Security Council to meet the pressure of the growing membership in the United Nations which has resulted in the underrepresentation of large areas of the world.

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