be found to have established a sound basis for future cooperation 
between the four countries -- ourselves, Soviet Russia, and 
 
                                                            
 
 
Since his return to Ankara, the Turkish Foreign Minister himself 
      has made a statement which the House, perhaps, may not have noticed 
      in which he said that the conversations in Cairo were so intimate 
      and far-reaching that he could now say that Turkey's relations-with 
      the Unites States and the Soviet Union were almost, as cordial 
      and as strong as with Great Britain. Those who know the past 
      history of this business will realize what an important statement 
      that is. It augura well, I think, for the progressive development 
      of future relations between us four, and were it on account of 
      this development alone I should feel justified in. the House 
      that we regard the Cairo conference encouraging. Further than 
                     that I cannot go today.                
 
                                                            
 
 
While we were in Cairo my Right Hon. Friend the member for 
      Stockton (Mr. Harold Macmillan and with my Hon. and Gallant friend 
      the member for Carlisle (Major-General Sir Edward Spears), who 
      is our minister at Beirut, as well as with the Minister of State 
      in the Middle East. The House has already been informed of the 
      development and of the conclusion of that crisis, but, if the 
      House will allow me, I want to take this, my first opportunity, 
      to say something about it. We have sympathy, deep sympathy, with 
           the national aspirations of the Arab world.      
 
                                                            
 
 
We are the only countries that has ever concluded a treaty 
      with and withdrawn from an independent Arab state. Yet at the 
      same time the preservation of order and tranquility in the Lebanon 
      is an allied interest, for it closely affects the whole of our 
      war effort in the Middle East. I understand that General Catroux 
      is going back to Beirut on behalf of the French Committee of 
      National Liberation, and he is to conduct negotiations to try 
      and bring about a modus vivendi in the Levant states. No happier 
      choice of representative, I think, cou %ld have been made by our 
      French friends, and I am sure the House will share the earnest 
      hope, which we have expressed already through diplomatic channels 
      to the authorities concerned, that these negotiations will be 
      conducted in a conciliatory spirit on both sides and that they 
      will lead to early agreement. I am confident that all our Allies, 
                  all the members of the United             
 
                                                            
 
 
*Our interest in this matter is twofold.