HC Deb 25 January 1878 vol 237 cc460-1
MR. W. CARTWRIGHT

asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether the version be substantially correct, which stands in the "Daily News" of January 24th, of a Despatch from the Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs to the Greek Charge d'Affaires in London, bearing date September 22nd 1877, with instructions to lodge a Copy with Lord Derby, purporting to be a Reply to various representations (some having been apparently made under date of September 4th, September 11th, September 20th, and September 21st), addressed by Mr. Wyndham to the Greek Government under instructions from Lord Derby, and especially to a declaration said to have been made in virtue of the right of Great Britain as a Guaranteeing Power to expect the Greek Go- vernment to adopt a specified line of action in its relations with Turkey; and, whether, in the event of a Despatch of this character having been received, it is still considered expedient by Her Majesty's Government, in presence of the partial publicity that has been thus given to a portion of the Correspondence between England and Greece, to persist in declining to lay before Parliament any Papers having reference to the action Her Majesty's Government may have seen fit to bring to bear upon Greece with the view of influencing her attitude towards Turkey?

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

Sir, in reply to the first part of the Question of the hon. Member, I have to state that I understand that the version of the despatch of the Greek Minister for Foreign Affairs, M. Tricoupi, is substantially correct. In reply to the latter part of the hon. Member's Question, I have further to state that the reason which has induced Her Majesty's Government to with old the Papers containing the communications which have passed between our Government and that of Greece referring to the relations existing between Turkey and Greece is, that they are afraid that the publication of those Papers might be embarrassing to the Governments of Turkey and Greece. There will, however, be no objection on the part of Her Majesty's Government to lay them on the Table if the two Governments referred to will give their sanction to their doing so.