HC Deb 15 May 1972 vol 837 cc5-6W
43. Mr. Ronald King Murray

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in the light of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics' refusal to join as Co-Chairman with the United Kingdom in reconvening the Geneva Conference on Vietnam, if he will now seek to reconvene it unilaterally.

Mr. Godber

As I told my hon. Friend, the Member for Chigwell (Mr. Biggs-Davison), my right hon. Friend still awaits Mr. Gromyko's reply to his latest proposal to reconvene the Geneva Conference. Under the 1954 Geneva Agreement, all action by the Co-Chairmen must be taken jointly. If the Russians will not co-operate, we have no standing under the agreement to act alone.

51. Mr. Dykes

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from the South Vietnamese authorities since the launching of the latest North Vietnamese invasion of the Republic of Vietnam.

Mr. Godber

We have received no further representations from the South Vietnamese about the North Vietnamese offensive since that to which my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary referred in his answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Chigwell (Mr. Biggs-Davison) on 24th April.—[Vol. 835, c. 177.]

56. Mr. Pavitt

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will propose to the Co-Chairman of the Geneva Conference that the United States of America, South Vietnam, and North Vietnam be requested to accept the offer of United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim to use his good offices to bring peace to Vietnam.

Mr. Godber

Her Majesty's Government would certainly be willing to support any initiative by the Secretary-General of the United Nations that seemed likely to offer any prospect of progress but I have no reason to believe that Hanoi's refusal to contemplate action through the United Nations has altered.

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