(c) crown copyright
Catalogue Reference:CAB/128/53/9
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Q
C M ( 7 3 ) 48th
Conclusions
COPY NO
0
CABINET
C O N C L U S I O N S of a M e e t i n g of the C a b i n e t
h e l d at 10 Downing S t r e e t on
T H U R S D A Y 18 O C T O B E R 1973
at 11, 00 a m
PRESENT
T h e R t H o n E d w a r d Heath M P
Prime Minister
The R t H o n Sir A l e c Douglas - H o m e M P
S e c r e t a r y of State f o r F o r e i g n and
Commonwealth Affairs
The R t Hon L o r d H a i l s h a m of St M a r y l e b o n e
L o r d Chancellor
The R t H o n Anthony B a r b e r M P
C h a n c e l l o r of the E x c h e q u e r
T h e R t Hon W i l l i a m W h i t e l a w M P
S e c r e t a r y of State f o r N o r t h e r n I r e l a n d
The Rt Hon L o r d C a r r i n g t o n
S e c r e t a r y of State f o r D e f e n c e
T h e R t Hon R o b e r t C a r r M P
S e c r e t a r y of State f o r the H o m e D e p a r t m e n t
The Rt Hon James P r i o r M P
L o r d P r e s i d e n t of the C o u n c i l
T h e R t Hon S i r K e i t h Joseph M P
S e c r e t a r y of State f o r S o c i a l S e r v i c e s
The Rt H o n G e o f f r e y Rippon QC M P
S e c r e t a r y of State f o r the E n v i r o n m e n t
T h e R t Hon M a r g a r e t T h a t c h e r M P
S e c r e t a r y of State f o r Education and S c i e n c e
The Rt Hon Gordon C a m p b e l l M P
S e c r e t a r y of State f o r Scotland
T h e R t Hon P e t e r W a l k e r M P
S e c r e t a r y of State f o r T r a d e and Industry
The R t H o n John D a v i e s M P
C h a n c e l l o r of the Duchy of L a n c a s t e r
T h e R t Hon P e t e r T h o m a s QC M P
S e c r e t a r y of State f o r W a l e s
The Rt Hon Joseph G o d b e r M P
M i n i s t e r of A g r i c u l t u r e , F i s h e r i e s
and F o o d
The R t Hon S i r G e o f f r e y H o w e Q C M P
M i n i s t e r f o r T r a d e and C o n s u m e r A f f a i r s
The Rt Hon L o r d W i n d l e s h a m
L o r d P r i v y Seal
b
ALSO PRESENT
The Rt Hon F r a n c i s P y m M P
Parliamentary Secretary, Treasury
SECRETARIAT
Sir
Mr
Mr
Mr
Mr
Mr
Mr
John Hunt
H F T Smith
P Benner
K T Barnett
H F Ellis-Rees
R J CNeill
J B W Robins
C O N T E N T S
Item
Subject
1.
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS
2.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
3.
Page
1
Thailaad
1
Middle East
1
OIL SUPPLIES
Prices
2
Contingency Planning
2
4.
EUROPEAN COMMUNITY AFFAIRS
4
5.
THE QUEEN'S SPEECH ON THE OPENING OF P A R L I A M E N T
5
PARLIAMENTARY
AFFAIRS
1.
T h e C a b i n e t w e r e i n f o r m e d of the business t o b e taken
in the House of C o m m o n s during the f o l l o w i n g w e e k .
It was
intended that P r o r o g a t i o n should take p l a c e on 25 O c t o b e r ;
and the new S e s s i o n w a s due to be opened on 30 O c t o b e r .
FOREIGN
AFFAIRS
2.
THE F O R E I G N A N D C O M M O N W E A L T H S E C R E T A R Y
said that the stesdent r i o t s i n Thailand had l e d to many­
c a s u a l t i e s and the p o l i t i c a l and s e c u r i t y situation had d e t e r i o r a ­
ted badly.
W i t h the d e p a r t u r e of leading m e m b e r s of the
c o r r u p t m i l i t a r y r e g i m e and the introduction of l a r g e l y
c i v i l i a n g o v e r n m e n t , c a l m had r e t u r n e d .
T h e K i n g had
played an i m p o r t a n t r o l e i n s e c u r i n g a r e t u r n to o r d e r .
Thailand
The Cabinet T o o k note of the statement by the F o r e i g n and
Commonwealth Secretary.
M i d d l e East
Previous
Reference:
C M ( 7 3 ) 47th
Conclusions,
Minute 3
T h e Cabinet r e s u m e d t h e i r c o n s i d e r a t i o n of the l a t e s t
d e v e l o p m e n t s in the M i d d l e E a s t .
T h e i r d i s c u s s i o n and the
conclusions r e a c h e d a r e r e c o r d e d s e p a r a t e l y .
OIL SUPPLIES
Previous
Reference:
C M ( 7 3 ) 47th
Conclusions,
Minute 2
Prices
3 .
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY
informed the Cabinet that f o l l o w i n g ; t h e a b o r t i v e n e g o t i a t i o n s between
the Organisation of Petroleum,- Exporting Countries ^and. the o i l
c o m p a n i e s in V i e n n a the p r e v i o u s w e e k , the s i x m a j o r Gulf
p r o d u c e r s had u n i l a t e r a l l y announced i n c r e a s e s of s o m e
70 p e r c e n t in the posted p r i c e of o i l , and had included p r o v i s i o n s
f o r i n c r e a s i n g the p r i c e to r e f l e c t the p r i c e of o i l on the f r e e
m a r k e t , w h i c h they could then influence b y l i m i t i n g s u p p l i e s .
T h e i m m e d i a t e i n c r e a s e would add s o m e £420 m i l l i o n t o the
United K i n g d o m balance of p a y m e n t s in a full y e a r ; it w o u l d put
up the c o s t of p e t r o l a t the pump b y 1. 5p a g a l l o n p r o b a b l y r i s i n g
to 2p b y the end of the y e a r ; and would add 0. 4 of a point to *3fce
retail p r i c e index.
T h e m e m b e r states of the O r g a n i s a t i o n of
A r a b P e t r o l e u m E x p o r t i n g C o u n t r i e s had further announced that
w i t h e f f e c t f r o m the end of S e p t e m b e r they would cut back
p r o d u c t i o n by a m i n i m u m of 5 p e r cent e v e r y month for an
indefinite p e r i o d until the o b j e c t i v e s of the A r a b states a g a i n s t
I s r a e l had b e e n a c h i e v e d .
This action was a i m e d principally
at the United S t a t e s ; but the d e p e n d e n c e of o t h e r c o u n t r i e s on
United States o i l c o m p a n i e s m e a n t that the e f f e c t on E u r o p e
g e n e r a l l y would b e s e v e r e .
F o r the United K i n g d o m a r e d u c t i o n
of 5 p e r c e n t in supplies of A r a b o i l w a s e q u i v a l e n t to a
r e d u c t i o n of 3. 5 p e r c e n t of total s u p p l i e s . But given that something
l i k e a m o n t h ' s supplies w e r e in t r a n s i t at any t i m e , the f i r s t
i m p a c t of this cut could be e x p e c t e d t o w a r d s the end of N o v e m b e r ;
and b y m i d - J a n u a r y our t o t a l supplies m i g h t b e r e d u c e d by s o m e
7 p e r c e n t , and s o on p r o g r e s s i v e l y .
In the f a c e of this t h r e a t ,
e c o n o m i e s i n the use of o i l could b e a c h i e v e d b y publicity and
e x h o r t a t i o n ; but if the A r a b s t a t e s c a m p a i g n continued, i t would
be n e c e s s a r y b y the N e w Y e a r to c o n s i d e r the introduction of
s c h e m e s of r a t i o n i n g and a l l o c a t i o n .
1
Contingency
Planning
T H E L O R D P R E S I D E N T O F T H E C O U N C I L s a i d that the Cabinet
would w i s h t o know the p o s i t i o n r e g a r d i n g contingency planning.
T h e r e w e r e c l e a r advantages in having a B i l l to confer the
n e c e s s a r y p o w e r s , r a t h e r than r e l y i n g on the E m e r g e n c y P o w e r s
Act.
T h e B i l l w a s b e i n g p r i n t e a f o r t h w i t h and would b e r e a d y f o r
i n t r o d u c t i o n , if needed, on the f o l l o w i n g M o n d a y .
It would be
n e c e s s a r y to h a v e R e g u l a t i o n s under the B i l l to indemnify the o i l
c o m p a n i e s a g a i n s t c l a i m s f o r b r e a c h of c o n t r a c t , and other
m a t t e r s ; and these w e r e b e i n g p r e p a r e d .
Preparations were
a l s o b e i n g m a d e f o r the o i l c o m p a n i e s to i m p o s e i n i t i a l cuts of
up to 10 p e r c e n t on c o n s u m e r s , f o r a d m i n i s t r a t i v e instructions
to public s e c t o r bodies on w a y s of a c h i e v i n g e c o n o m i e s , ( e . g .
r e d u c t i o n in h e a t i n g s t a n d a r d s , s p e e d l i m i t s , e t c ) , and f o r
e x h o r t a t i o n s to p r i v a t e i n d u s t r y and the public a$ l a r g e .
P r e p a r a t i o n s f o r m o t o r fuel r a t i o n i n g w e r e b e i n g brought to
C ( : W; E V I D E N T I A L
immediate readiness.
S o m e 17 m i l l i o n v e h i c l e s would be
i n v o l v e d , and this would n e c e s s a r i l y be a c o m p l e x o p e r a t i o n
w h i c h would take t i m e t o i n t r o d u c e .
H e had a u t h o r i s e d c o n s u l t a ­
tions to b e held with the p o s t a l unions, and the n e c e s s a r y w o r k of
printing and d i s t r i b u t i o n to b e c o m p l e t e d , so that i f n e c e s r a r y
rationing could b e g i n in about f i v e w e e k s t i m e .
The P r i m e
M i n i s t e r s C h i e f P r e s s S e c r e t a r y would c o - o r d i n a t e a r r a n g e m e n t s
for publicity.
1
In d i s c u s s i o n i t was s u g g e s t e d that the public p r e s e n t a t i o n of the
G o v e r n m e n t s plans should not c o i w e y the i m p r e s s i o n that
r a t i o n i n g w a s i m m i n e n t , as this might l e a d to panic buying and
h o a r d i n g b y the g e n e r a l public.
The e m p h a s i s should be on
the p r e c a u t i o n a r y nature of t h e s e m e a s u r e s a g a i n s t the p o s s i b i l i t y
that the A r a b states m i g h t p e r s i s t in t h e i r c a m p a i g n o v e r a p e r i o d
of t i m e .
I t would be i m p o r t a n t t o e n s u r e that the oil c o m p a n i e s
did not r a i s e t h e i r p r i c e s w i t h i n the next t h r e e m o n t h s .
But an
a p p l i c a t i o n by the c o m p a n i e s to the P r i c e C o m m i s s i o n on the b a s i s
of a l l o w a b l e c o s t s must be e x p e c t e d to have a r e a s o n a b l e p r o s p e c t
of s u c c e e d i n g ; and if the p r i c e w e r e to be held i t m i g h t be
n e c e s s a r y t o take p o w e r s under the L i q u i d F u e l s B i l l to c o n t r o l
them.
It w a s further s u g g e s t e d that t h e s e d e v e l o p m e n t s w e r e
l i k e l y t o p r e s a g e a p e r i o d of g r o w i n g s t r i n g e n c y in the supply of
o i l ; and that in addition to the c o n t i n g e n c y p r e p a r a t i o n s now
being m a d e u r g e n t c o n s i d e r a t i o n should be g i v e n t o other m e a s u r e s ,
such a s the c o n t r o l of o i l e x p o r t s f r o m the United K i n g d o m , the
p o s s i b i l i t y of advancing the supply of o i l f r o m the N o r t h S e a , and
future p o l i c y with r e g a r d to e n e r g y s u p p l i e s , in p a r t i c u l a r the
b a l a n c e to be struck b e t w e e n o i l and c o a l .
T H E P R I M E M I N I S T E R , s u m m i n g up the d i s c u s s i o n , s a i d that the
L o r d P r e s i d e n t would a r r a n g e f o r the C i v i l C o n t i n g e n c i e s Unit to
p r e s s ahead the contingency/preparations to d e a l with a r e d u c t i o n
i n the supply of o i l ; and that the S e c r e t a r y of State for D e f e n c e
would a r r a n g e f o r the T a s k F o r c e on O i l Supplies to g i v e urgent
c o n s i d e r a t i o n to ways i n w h i c h o i l supplies could b e m a i n t a i n e d .
T h e M i n i s t e r f o r T r a d e and C o n s u m e r A f f a i r s , in consultation
w i t h the L o r d P r e s i d e n t , should e x a m i n e w a y s of c o n t r o l l i n g the
p r i c e s c h a r g e d by the o?l c o m p a n i e s in the light of the i n c r e a s e s
now announced by the producing c o u n t r i e s .
T h e Cabinet T o o k note, with a p p r o v a l , of the summing up of
t h e i r d i s c u s s i o n by the P r i m e M i n i s t e r .
COMMUNITY
AFFAIRS
informed the Cabinet that the" meeting of the Council o f M i n i s t e r s at
LUXEMBOURG- ON 15 October had discussed the mandate t o be given t o the
C o m m i s s i o n £or the negotiations which had now opened f o r a new
Convention of A s s o c i a t i o n b e t w e e n the C o m m u n i t y and the p r e s e n t
A s s o c i a t e d States and the e l i g i b l e d e v e l o p i n g C o m m o n w e a l t h
countries,
It had not p r o v e d p o s s i b l e to r e a c h a g r e e m e n t on
the p o l i c y the C o m m u n i t y should adopt on r e q u i r i n g t r a d e
r e c i p r o c i t y f r o m the d e v e l o p i n g c o u n t r i e s o r on m e a s u r e s to h e l p
sta.bilise t h e i r e a r n i n g s from e x p o r t s of p r i m a r y c o m m o d i t i e s ,
but a d e c i s i o n on t h e s e i s s u e s would soon b e c o m e u r g e n t .
A
short d i s c u s s i o n b y the Council of the C o m m i s s i o n ^ p r o p o s a l s
f o r the e s t a b l i s h m e n t of a C o m m u n i t y R e g i o n a l D e v e l o p m e n t
Fund ( R D F ) had b e e n of note o n l y for a statement b y the I r i s h
F o r e i g n M i n i s t e r i n w h i c h he had gone s o m e w a y t o w a r d s
t h r e a t e n i n g that the I r i s h G o v e r n m e n t would r e j e c t p r o p o s a l s
f o r the Fund unless t h e s e w e r e a m e n d e d to g i v e much i m p r o v e d
benefits to I r e l a n d .
The Italian Minister for Regional
D e v e l o p m e n t had g i v e n s o m e support to the I r i s h c r i t i c i s m s .
D i s c u s s i o n of the R D F would be r e s u m e d i n the C o u n c i l i n
November.
:
In a b r i e f d i s c u s s i o n , i t w a s noted that the opening p o s i t i o n
taken b y the I r i s h on any i s s u e w a s n e v e r to be r e g a r d e d as
t h e i r final p o s i t i o n .
T h e Cabinet T o o k note of the s t a t e m e n t b y the C h a n c e l l o r
of the Duchy of L a n c a s t e r .
4
THE QUEEN'S
5.
T h e Cabinet had b e f o r e them notes b y the L o r d P r e s i d e n t
S P E E C H ON
of the C o u n c i l ( C P ( 7 3 ) 99 and 101), to which weare amex&d
drafts
The Q u e e n ' s Speech on the Opening o f P a r l i a m e n t .
THE OPENING
ft)/?
OF P A R L I A M E N T
The C a b i n e t c o n s i d e r e d the d r a f t s p e e c h p a r a g r a p h b y p a r a g r a p h .
T H E P R I M E M I N I S T E R , summing up the d i s c u s s i o n , said that
they
' a g r e e d that i t would be n e c e s s a r y to include a
r e f e r e n c e to the situation in the M i d d l e E a s t and that the t e r m s
of p a r a g r a p h 8 about the dispute with I c e l a n d o v e r f i s h e r i e s
would h a v e to be kept under r e v i e w s o that account could be
taken of any further d e v e l o p m e n t s .
Further consideration
should be g i v e n to the p a s s a g e on housing
WITH
a v i e w , if p o s s i b l e , t o c l a r i f y i n g the r e f e r e n c e to the
d e v e l o p m e n t of land f o r housing.
T h e r e w a s at p r e s e n t no
r e f e r e n c e to a g r i c u l t u r a l p o l i c y and a p a s s a g e on this subject
should be p r e p a r e d .
T h e draft s p e e c h should be amended
a c c o r d i n g l y and, w i t h the i n c o r p o r a t i o n of the other amendments
which had b e e n s u g g e s t e d in the c o u r s e of d i s c u s s i o n , should be
c i r c u l a t e d to the Cabinet f o r further c o n s i d e r a t i o n at their
next m e e t i n g .
T h e Cabinet T o o k note, with a p p r o v a l , of the P r i m e M i n i s t e r s
summing up of t h e i r d i s c u s s i o n and i n v i t e d the
L o r d P r e s i d e n t of the C o u n c i l t o p r o c e e d a c c o r d i n g l y .
C a b i n e t Office
18 O c t o b e r 1973
IS D O C U M E N T IS T H E P R O P E R T Y
O F H E R B R I T A N N I C M A J E S T Y S
GOVERNMENT
C O P Y NO
CABINET
CONFIDENTIAL ANNEX
C M ( 7 3 ) 48th C o n c l u s i o n s , Minute 2
T h u r s d a y 18 O c t o b e r 1973 at 11. 00 a m
FOREIGN
AFFAIRS
Middle East
Previous
Reference:
C M ( 7 3 ) 47th
Conclusions,
Minute 3
T H E F O R E I G N A N D C O M M O N W E A L T H S E C R E T A R Y said that
a c t i v i t y in Sinai s u g g e s t e d that a m a j o r b a t t l e m i g h t be about t o
begin.
T h e r e v/ere h o w e v e r encouraging signs that the United
States and the S o v i e t Union w e r e now pursuing the s e a r c h for
peace.
T h e y w e r e i n c l o s e touch with each o t h e r , and the S o v i e t
P r i m e M i n i s t e r , M r K o s y g i n , was i n C a i r o .
W e o u r s e l v e s had
continued our e f f o r t s w i t h the A r a b s .
H e had s e e n the S o v i e t
A m b a s s a d o r that m o r n i n g .
T h e r e w e r e indications that the
G o v e r n m e n t of I s r a e l m i g h t w e l l be p r e p a r e d t o a c c e p t a c e a s e ­
f i r e , including an a r r a n g e m e n t for d e m i l i t a r i s e d z o n e s .
Our
, p o l i c y o v e r the c o m i n g days must be r e l a t e d to these e f f o r t s to
obtain a c e a s e - f i r e .
In v i e w of the continuing c r i t i c i s m of our
e m b a r g o on tha supply of ammunition and equipment to the b a t t l e ­
f i e l d c o u n t r i e s and, i n p a r t i c u l a r , of the a l l e g a t i o n s that w e w e r e
denying to I s r a e l s u p p l i e s w h i c h that country had a right t o e x p e c t ,
and which she b a d l y n e e d e d , he w i s h e d t o i n f o r m his c o l l e a g u e s
that t h e r e w a s not the s l i g h t e s t s h o r t a g e in I s r a e l of any o f h e r
e s s e n t i a l r e q u i r e m e n t s , and that no s h o r t a g e w a s at p r e s e n t
foreseen.
If w e w e r e to l i f t the e m b a r g o w e would be o b l i g e d t o
send to Jordan t w i c e as much a s we would send to I s r a e l , and w e
would have to send to E g y p t i m p o r t a n t m i l i t a r y equipment of a kind
w h i c h they did not hold a t p r e s e n t .
T h e A r a b o i l producing states
had announced t h e i r intention to cut the supply of o i l .
It w a s
p o s s i b l e , h o w e v e r , that i t would take them s o m e t i m e to put this
d e c i s i o n into e f f e c t and he intended t o use a l l the a v a i l a b l e d e v i c e s
of d i p l o m a c y to p e r s u a d e t h e m not to do s o .
W e w e r e p o s s i b l y the
only W e s t e r n c o u n t r y in a p o s i t i o n to influence t h e m .
W e would
s a c r i f i c e our a b i l i t y to influence the p e a c e m o v e s and A r a b p o l i c y
on o i l if w e w e r e to r e v e r s e our d e c i s i o n on the e m b a r g o .
He was
t h e r e f o r e convinced that the e m b a r g o must be m a i n t a i n e d .
In the
debate w h i c h was to be h e l d l a t e r that day, t h e r e would no doubt
be s t r o n g c r i t i c i s m of this p o l i c y f r o m both s i d e s of the H o u s e .
HE would l i s t e n c a r e f u l l y t o a l l the arguments
" " " " "'­
that m i g h t be a d v a n c e d , but he would u r g e the House to v i e w the ::
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m a t t e r in the l i g h t of our t o t a l national i n t e r e s t , w h i c h was i n the
f i r s t place to g e t the w a r stopped, would r e p e a t his a s s u r a n c e that
our p o l i c y , including the e m b a r g o p o l i c y , would be k e p t continuously
under r e v i e w ,
and would a s k the House t o a l l o w m a x i m u m r o o m
f o r the e x e r c i s e of our d i p l o m a c y o v e r the c o m i n g d a y s and not to
f e t t e r the G o v e r n m e n t .
In d i s c u s s i o n i t w a s a g r e e d that the f o r t h c o m i n g debate would be
conducted in an e m o t i o n a l a t m o s p h e r e with d i v i s i o n s within the
Opposition ranks as w e l l as on the G o v e r n m e n t s i d e .
The o u t c o m e
w a s uncertain.
It w a s s u g g e s t e d that f o r the sake of both
P a r l i a m e n t a r y and public o p i n i o n the G o v e r n m e n t should m a k e i t
c l e a r that i t w a s a m a t t e r of the d e e p e s t c o n c e r n to t h e m that n e i t h e r
s i d e in the w a r should be o v e r w h e l m e d , and that if t h e r e w e r e a
d a n g e r of that happening, t h e r e would h a v e to be a r a d i c a l
r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n of our p o l i c y .
T h i s w a s n e c e s s a r y in o r d e r to
counter the fea.r that w e had i n s u f f i c i e n t r e g a r d f o r I s r a e l ' s
interests.
T h e G o v e r n m e n t m u s t a l s o be p r e p a r e d to deal with the
c o m p l a i n t that b y continuing to send a r m s to A r a b c o u n t r i e s outside
the b a t t l e f i e l d a r e a , w e w e r e f a i l i n g to f o l l o w an e v e n - h a n d e d p o l i c y
as b e t w e e n the I s r a e l i s and the A r a b s .
It was a l s o argued that
w h i l e it w a s i m p o r t a n t that w e should have the g r e a t e s t p o s s i b l e
r o o m f o r d i p l o m a t i c m a n o e u v r e our a b i l i t y to take an i n i t i a t i v e would
b e g r a v e l y i m p a i r e d if the G o v e r n m e n t w e r e d e f e a t e d i n P a r l i a m e n t ,
o r succeeded only by a v e r y n a r r o w m a r g i n .
W h i l e , t h e r e f o r e , the
G o v e r n m e n t should not r e v e r s e its p o l i c y , i t would be i m p o r t a n t t o
g i v e the m a x i m u m r e a s s u r a n c e to i t s c r i t i c s that the p o l i c y w a s not
i m m u t a b l e if c i r c u m s t a n c e s c h a n g e d .
It m i g h t b e useful to link the
maintenance of the p r e s e n t p o l i c y with the fact that p e a c e m o v e s w e r e
c u r r e n t l y afoot i n which w e w e r e c l o s e l y i n v o l v e d , with the
i m p l i c a t i o n that our p o l i c y w o u l d be r e v i e w e d if they f a i l e d .
It w a s
a l s o s u g g e s t e d that since the O p p o s i t i o n w e r e not united, t h e i r
l e a d e r s h i p m i g h t be i n t e r e s t e d i n a v o i d i n g a v o t e i f the G o v e r n m e n t
could m a k e s o m e m o v e t o w a r d s t h e m .
In this w a y a f o r m of
national p o l i c y m i g h t d e v e l o p and l a s t at l e a s t o v e r the c o m i n g d a y s
w h i l e the a c t i v e s e a r c h for a c e a s e - f i r e w a s being pursued.
In
this connection i t w a s noted that the L e a d e r of the O p p o s i t i o n
a p p a r e n t l y had i t in mind t o s u g g e s t that the l i s t s of the e m b a r g o e d ,
i t e m s should b e examined w i t h a v i e w t o a u t h o r i s i n g the supply of
s o m e of t h e m , not l i m i t e d t o one s i d e a l o n e .
It w a s f e l t , h o w e v e r ,
that this p r o p o s a l , as it s t o o d , p r e s e n t e d d i f f i c u l t i e s as f o r m i d a b l e
a s those w h i c h would attend a d e c i s i o n to l i f t the e m b a r g o a l t o g e t h e r .
On the other hand, i t m i g h t b e p o s s i b l e to ask f o r t i m e to c o n s i d e r
the O p p o s i t i o n ^ p r o p o s a l s , s u b j e c t a l w a y s to the o v e r r i d i n g
c o n s i d e r a t i o n that o u r f i r s t a i m m u s t be t o p e r s u a d e the A r a b s and
the I s r a e l i s to stop fighting; t o w e l c o m e further consultation with
the L e a d e r of the Opposition, and t o undertake to m a k e a further
s t a t e m e n t the f o l l o w i n g w e e k .
T H E P R I M E M I N I S T E R , s u m m i n g up the d i s c u s s i o n , said that
although t h e r e w a s undoubtedly much P a r l i a m e n t a r y and public
c o n c e r n about the G o v e r n m e n t s p o l i c i e s , and I s r a e l i propaganda
had a c h i e v e d s o m e s u c c e s s i n this connection, the m e a s u r e of
support f o r those p o l i c i e s should not be u n d e r e s t i m a t e d .
There
would no doubt h a v e b e e n as much c r i t i c i s m i f w e had continued to
supply ammunition and equipment to both s i d e s .
If w e changed our
p o l i c y at this c r i t i c a l m o m e n t , when s o m e tentative m o v e s
t o w a r d s r e s t o r i n g p e a c e w e r e being m a d e , w e wuuld s a c r i f i c e the
opportunity to a s s i s t those m o v e s .
The i m m e d i a t e p r o b l e m was
f o r the G o v e r n m e n t to e m e r g e c r e d i b l y f r o m the d e b a t e .
The
F o r e i g n and C o m m o n w e a l t h S e c r e t a r y would g i v e further
c o n s i d e r a t i o n to the line he should take i n the debate in the light of
the points m a d e in the C a b i n e t S d i s c u s s i o n .
While there w e r e
d i f f i c u l t i e s in accepting the p r o p o s a l s of the L e a d e r of the Opposition
as they stood, t h e r e m i g h t b e advantage i n a v o i d i n g c o m m i t m e n t s
e i t h e r w a y about our future p o l i c y .
F o r the t i m e being our p r e s e n t
stance w a s c l e a r l y r i g h t but i t would have to be kept under r e v i e w i n
the l i g h t of d e v e l o p m e n t s .
In v i e w of the c r i t i c a l i m p o r t a n c e of the
d e b a t e i t s e e m e d d e s i r a b l e that the F o r e i g n and C o m m o n w e a l t h
S e c r e t a r y , who w a s to open i t , should a l s o wind up.
The Cabinet T o o k note, with a p p r o v a l , of the P r i m e M i n i s t e r s
summing up of t h e i r d i s c u s s i o n .
C a b i n e t Office
18 O c t o b e r 1973
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