https://declassified.library.utoronto.ca/files/original/1c224a5ff62377b84a49961ef49ddf55.pdf 79e0430e3251c4bcc9781acf1aea4067 PDF Text Text *<!»- Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act - •*» i. Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'information DEPARTMENT OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, CANADA. NUMBERED LETTER TO: THE UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR . EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, OTTAWA, CANADA. FROM: . P f f l C E , OP. THE. HIGH. COMMISSIONS .FOR. fiWWm#..M3TO).(W. Our letters 1116 aa d 1159 of June 12 Reference: ^ 3 . ^.g.^.. 3 3 5 9 Subject:.. l a b o u r . A t t a c k s , .on ."United.Kingdom...... Security... WOMSSIPEEI), NO Date: Air or Surface Mail: Ottawa F i l e No. J 2 *1 (l2 5 Tvi/f-AtXro 4f xs »V"tf References / AIR MAIL Post File No: ,.^ffl^A) |<3> j 1 June 1199 , 1959 Enclosures: .Government! a .Unclear. Polidy -At. HATO, P a r i s Embassy, ^ a r i f Washington I7..7.X With the movement Hf 'opinion against nuclear weapons steadily developing in Labour cifccles, as reported in our letters under reference, the Opposition on June 17 bombarded the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs with questions representing all shades of Labour opinion, from the more moderate demand f or a final c essation of nuclear tests to the more extreme demand for a unilateral British renunciation of nuclear weapons. Mr. Ormsby-Gore steadfastly restated the Government's position but his matter-of-fact answers did not fully appease an all too animated Opposition. 2 6 7 8 9 10 2 2 JUN 1959 Internal Circulation r ,a/7-A<.-HH» ? Distribution to Posts Ext. 182A(Rev. 2/52) « Eke first barrage of questions dealt with the possibility of the United Kingdom taking the lead in negotiating with leading non-nuclear Powers for a renunciation of nuclear weapons; of preventing the extension . of the nuclear club; of renunciating nuclear weapons unxlaterally; or, at least, of finalizing the current cessation of British nuclear tesiis during the Geneva talks thereon. 3. M r . Ormsby-Gore replied that:, "Her Majesty's Government considers that problems of this kind'can best be dealt as part of comprehensive disarmament. As a first step in that direction, they hope that agreement can be reached on the ending of all nuclear weapons tests." J? i^argued ^ favour oft aking "one step at a time, even if" it .is^only a comparatively.small one". Tie also argued^that "to* ann6,unceTnow that, whether there is agreement about control o* <!*%&* intend in any cas! to stop all tests, would not be a satisfactory way of carrying on the negotiations". To those Labour Members SS+r1! Sager , f 0 1 t d e f i n i t i v e bilateral cessation of J«?i f 5 * 6 m S f e l y S t a t e d asreeMnt the time" tbat Mwbat would would ^ ^ t happen if Se ° *e considered at w ^ ^ o - . i h e s f c o n d "barrage, of questions was about the t h e ^ S t i d ^ gwd? ' <******<>** aircraft from W e lo n??i~?^ J J i ^' ^ Ormsby-Gore was asked what official information, proposals, request and/or communi- 001061 �. ~%y A 7 i -••. Document disclosed underthe Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loisui"I'acces a {'information 2 ations the United. Kingdom had received about this* .. He answered ,., that: ••'.". '.-'.•.."" "General Norstad has reported to the North Atlantic Council on the present situation regarding the arming and deployment of certain NATO aircraft on French territory.. Gen«r Norstad is still considering this matter and it remains on. the Council's agenda. No official request has been made to Her Majesty's Government to accept further United States' Airforce aircraft-on bases in this country." 6. The' third barrage of questions was over whether Gen. Norstad should have the initiative in determining, deciding or requesting the transfer of aircraft from one country to the other. Mr. Ormsby-Gore replied .that: "The choice will.be very largely that oft he Supreme" Allied • Commander. (Hon. Members: "Oh") Yes, indeed; but if he were to ask that more of them should be redeployed in this country, we believe that it would be in the interest of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization as a whole that we should agree to his request, on the same terms as the other American aircraft are at present based in this country... As regards these aircraft, it is largely for the Supreme Allied Commander to decide where they can best be distributed ...It would then be up to the Government concerned to see whether they would,accept them." •?• Tbe Opposition, led by Mr* Bevan in this series of ' questions, displayed great concern over the fact that a redeployment in West Germany could be requested by General Norstad and consented to "without consultation first with the British Government" or even "without discussion in the House of Commons". Mr. Ormsby-Gore replied that this could be done and,, he added •"certainly without discussion in this House.*" 8. The Opposition's intention was clearly to try to. raise this matter from the purely military to-the political level,,and. it is by no means assured that they were fully satisfied with : Mr.. Ormsby-Gore s final statement that: = . "If we are to have an effective NATO Command and effective' military dispositions,-! do not think it is reasonable that all the Governments should have a say where particular aircraft are. stationed, though, of course, we would have a sav if-it were a question of stationing foreign aircraft on British territory." • • CANADJlT H O U S E v . ' " � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CDNW02440 Title A name given to the resource External to London 1174 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 19-Jun-59 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived �NATO - Stockpiling of atomic weapons in NATO countries,� RG25-A-3-b, vol. 5958, 50219-AL-1-40, pt. 2.2, Library and Archives Canada (LAC). Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Department of External Affairs Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Canadian Crown Subject The topic of the resource atomic cooperation, NATO, nuclear weapons Description An account of the resource Labour Attacks on United Kingdom Government's Nuclear Policy Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Canada Declassified Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource en