§ Dame Joan Vickersasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, in view of Recommendation 184 on East-West relations, adopted by the Assembly of the Western European Union on 18th June, 1969, what progress has been made towards a European security conference with the participation of the member states of the Western European Union, the United State, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and other East European States.
§ Mr. MulleyThis Recommendation is under consideration by the W.E.U. Council. Meanwhile the North Atlantic Council is studying what issues best lend themselves to fruitful negotiation between East and West and to an early resolution, and how a useful process of negotiation could best be initiated in due course. We are playing our full part in these studies. The essential element will, of course, be a positive indication of Soviet readiness for genuine progress.