§ DR. CLARK (Caithness)asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, If any information has been received by the Foreign Office to the effect that both the Porte and the Government of Greece, or either of them, would learn with satisfaction that steps were being taken by Great Britain to submit the still unsettled questions as to the Greco-Turkish Frontier to mediation; and, if so, whether the Government proposes to take any steps to promote such a settlement of the question?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. BRYCE) (Aberdeen, S.)If, by the expression "unsettled questions as to the Græco-Turkish frontier," my hon. Friend refers to the desire of the Greek Government to obtain further extensions of territory to the North, I may inform him that Her Majesty's Government are fully convinced that the Porte would not agree to the re-opening of these questions, which were settled by the Convention of May 24, 1881. If, on the other hand, my hon. Friend refers to certain questions which have arisen under that Convention with respect to legislation by Greece on the subject of the Vakouf or religious property in the districts ceded by Turkey, I may inform him that the Porte desired these questions to be submitted to the Powers; whereas the Greek Government maintained that their action was within the terms of the Convention. For the last few months the discussion of this subject has remained in abeyance.