§ 20. Mr. A. HENDERSONasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the provisions of any agreement which may be concluded at Montreux will entirely supersede the provisions of the Treaty of Lausanne affecting the Dardanelles?
§ Mr. EDENThe agreement now reached at Montreux will supersede the convention relating to the régime of the Straits. The Treaty of Peace itself will remain unchanged.
§ Mr. HENDERSONAre we to understand that Italy will be bound by the new agreement rather than the old agreement?
§ Mr. HENDERSONMy question is whether the new treaty will entirely supersede the old treaty and, as Italy is a party to the old treaty, what will be the effect of the new treaty on her position?
§ Mr. EDENI have answered the question on the Paper, and if the hon. Member has any consequential queries, perhaps he will put them down.
§ 25. Mr. THORNEasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can give the House any information in connection with the agreement reached by the various Powers in conference relative to the fortification of the Dardanelles?
§ Mr. EDENI am happy to say that the delegations of the Powers assembled at Montreux have reached agreement upon the text of a new Straits Convention. It is hoped that this new Convention will be signed this evening, but until it has actually been signed I should prefer to make no further statement. Moreover, as hon. Members will see from the summaries that have appeared in the Press, the provisions of this Convention are highly technical, and it would be difficult to state them adequately in reply to Parliamentary questions. I am accordingly arranging to publish the text of the Convention as a White Paper at the earliest possible date, and when this has been done I hope to take an early opportunity of making a full statement on the subject.
§ Sir P. HARRISCan the right hon. Gentleman say who will sign for the Government, and whether the Foreign Office will be represented?
§ Mr. EDENIt is the Government that is represented, and not the Department. The Government is represented by the Financial Secretary to the Admiralty.