§ 41. Mr. Boyd-Carpenterasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what information he has as to the silting up of the Suez Canal; and to what extent the clearing of the canal will be more difficult, slower, or more expensive the longer it is delayed.
§ Mr. George BrownI cannot give such information in detail. Nevertheless, it is clear that the longer dredging work in the Canal remains impossible the more silting will take place and the more difficult it will become to clear the Canal to the necessary depth for normal international traffic.
§ 68. Mr. Elystan Morganasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what consultations Great Britain is having with other interested Governments, with a view to joint action concerning the reopening of the Suez Canal.
§ Mr. George BrownI am in constant contact with a number of Governments about the whole range of the problems involved in a Middle East settlement including the reopening of the Suez Canal. But it would he wrong for me to go in any detail into the nature of these consultations while Dr. Jarring is still engaged in the task laid upon him by the Security Council Resolution of 22nd November.