AFFAIRS OF TURKEY. (Hansard, 21 February 1840)

§ Sir R. Peel
said, that before the House went into Committee of Supply, he wished to put a question to the noble Lord, the Secretary for the Foreign Department. The question had reference to the following paragraph in the speech of her Majesty at the opening of the present Session;— The affairs of the Levant have continued to occupy my most anxious attention. The concord which has prevailed amongst the five Powers has prevented a renewal of hostilities in that quarter; and I hope that the same unanimity will bring these important and difficult matters to a final settlement in such a manner as to uphold the integrity and independence of the Ottoman empire, and to give additional security to the peace of Europe. He wished to ask the noble Lord whether the proper construction of that passage was, that the five Powers were unanimous in their opinion that the integrity and independence of the Ottoman empire should constitute the basis of that settlement. He wished, in fact, to know whether the unanimity of the five Powers extended to maintaining the integrity as well as the independence of the Ottoman empire. If so, he begged to ask the noble Lord whether that unanimity still conti- 448 nued, and whether there was any immediate prospect that the affairs of the Levant would be brought to a final settlement at an early period?

§ Viscount Palmerston
said, that, undoubtedly, the passage in her Majesty's Speech which had been just read by the right hon. Baronet expressed a hope that the five Powers would be as unanimous in a settlement of these affairs, founded on the basis of the integrity and independence of the Ottoman empire, as they had been unanimous in preserving peace in that quarter; and that hope was founded—1st, on the opinions entertained by her Majesty's Government; 2ndly, on the opinion expressed in the speech of his Majesty, the King of the French, at the opening of the session, in which the integrity and independence of the Ottoman empire were especially mentioned; and 3rdly, on the knowledge of her Majesty's Government as to the opinions entertained by the three other Powers on the subject. With regard to the second question of the right hon. Baronet, he could only say that these matters were now the subject of negotiation between the five Powers; and he was sure the right hon. Baronet was the last person who would wish him to enter into any premature declaration as to the position in which the parties to that negotiation might stand.

§ Sir R. Peel
said, he had asked a third question, which was, whether there was any prospect of these affairs being brought to a settlement at an early period.

§ Lord Palmerston
could not anticipate the period; he could only say that the subject occupied the most anxious attention of her Majesty's Government. They were in communication with the other four Powers on the subject, and he believed all were impressed with the great importance of bringing it to a final settlement at as early a period as was compatible with its complicated nature.