Mr Arthur Henderson: Is it not a fact that the VC10 is becoming known as probably the finest passenger aircraft flying today? Can we be assured, in spite of the statement which the Minister has felt justified in making—[Laughter.] This is not a laughing matter. Can we be assured that B.O.A.C. and other passenger transport companies will have an adequate supply of VC10s in order to maintain the very fine...
Mr Arthur Henderson: First of all, I should like to reassure the right hon. Member for Bedford (Mr. Soames) about the proposed visit of the Prime Minister to Moscow. What does he think that the Foreign Secretary was doing, amongst other things, during his recent visit? He was doing the same thing as Conservative Foreign Secretaries did when they went to prepare the ground for a visit by their Prime Minister. I am...
Mr Arthur Henderson: I am sorry, but the hon. Member has it wrong. I did not criticise them for not publishing the two proposals made in August last year. I criticised them for not accepting them, and that is a very different thing. I hope that I may be allowed to criticise the Americans, having always made it clear that I think that they are absolutely within their rights, under S.E.A.T.O., to have their troops...
Mr Arthur Henderson: Can my right hon. Friend give any indication whether the four peace points that have been put forward by Mr. Dong, the Prime Minister of North Vietnam, would be acceptable as a basis of discussion at a reconvened Geneva conference, especially in view of the suggestion that such a course would not be unacceptable to the United States Government?
Mr Arthur Henderson: asked the Prime Minister what reports he has received from his Scientific Advisory Committee about the need for on-site inspections for the purpose of verifying underground nuclear explosions; and whether he will make a statement.
Mr Arthur Henderson: Would not my right hon. Friend agree that the number of underground explosions which cannot be nationally verified is so small as to justify the risk of entering into a comprehensive test ban agreement excluding on-site inspections, more especially if the agreement contains a renunciation clause? Can the Prime Minister say whether such an approach is being taken at the Geneva Conference?
Mr Arthur Henderson: Have Her Majesty's Government made an explicit statement to the Soviet Government that if a non-dissemination agreement were achieved Her Majesty's Government would oppose any arrangement of N.A.T.O. nuclear arms in contravention to any such non-dissemination agreement?
Mr Arthur Henderson: asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will discuss with the United Nations Secretary General possible action by the United Nations to end the conflict in Vietnam.
Mr Arthur Henderson: Is my right hon. Friend aware that some of us who do not wish Her Majesty's Government to dissociate themselves from the United States Government consider that the United States Government should susspend all bombing operations in North Vietnam as a prelude to a cease-fire and the reconvening of the Geneva Conference? Will the Government support the Secretary-General of the United Nations in...
Mr Arthur Henderson: Following the very important statement made yesterday by President Johnson concerning the desirability of United Nations intervention in the Vietnam conflict with a view to bringing it to an end, may we take it that Her Majesty's Government will support or even take any initiative during the Recess to ensure that the matter is brought before the Security Council?
Mr Arthur Henderson: In view of the importance of this subject, would it be the policy of the Government to discuss with the United States Government and the Soviet Union the possibility of a guarantee of the nuclear security of nonnuclear Powers as part of a non-dissemination agreement?
Mr Arthur Henderson: Does my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister realise that the people of the country are behind all his efforts to bring to an end this savage conflict in Vietnam? Will he continue his efforts?
Mr Arthur Henderson: Is there any evidence of continued Indonesian build-up such as the deployment of regular forces and the establishment of supply dumps, indicating that the Indonesian Government may be ready for action on a greater scale than has taken place up to date?
Mr Arthur Henderson: rose—
Mr Arthur Henderson: One of the outstanding features of this debate has been the persistent and partisan criticisms that have been levelled by the Opposition against the peace initiatives of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister. Even the Leader of the Opposition, if I may say so, marred what I thought was a very thoughtful and convincing speech by his references both to the Commonwealth Peace Mission...
Mr Arthur Henderson: As the hon. and gallant Gentleman knows just as well as I do from our previous experience in these spheres, as long as the operations take place they will send sufficient reinforcements to enable them to undertake successful operations from their point of view. That is quite a different thing from saying that as soon as Hanoi indicates its willingness to bring the conflict to an end and to...
Mr Arthur Henderson: I completely disagree. President Johnson has also made it perfectly clear that he advocates a return to what he calls the essentials of the 1954 Geneva Agreement. The Agreement made it clear that, while there was a temporary division of the country along the 17th Parallel, there had to be within two years free elections with the purpose of securing reunification, and also that all foreign...
Mr Arthur Henderson: As I have said before—and it is what I understood to be common to both sides of the House—China's rightful place is in the United Nations, and till we have universality we are going to have this basic weakness in the United Nations, because outside of it there will be this great nation of 600 million people. I therefore suggest that China should be brought into the United Nations, and...
Mr Arthur Henderson: Well, according to the statement made by Sir John Cockcroft—[Interruption.] There may be doubts whether he is a reliable scientist, but I should have thought he was one of the greatest scientists in this country at any rate. He does not make it 100 per cent.—he is quite fair about it—but he does make the suggestion that everything except the very smallest underground explosion can be...
Mr Arthur Henderson: I thought I made it clear that in my view there will be no guarantee of world peace and the avoidance of major conflicts unless we can secure co-operation between the United States and the Soviet Union now, and, in due course, China. All I would say in reply to the question is, let us get China to the General Assembly, and on to the Security Council and she will have to face up to her...
