§ LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILLasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether it is a fact that the Italian Government have refused to recognise the French Protectorate in Tunis, and the appointment of Monsieur Roustan as intermediary for their official communications with the Government of the Bey; and, whether the Italian Government have more than once since the commencement of the French hostilities against Tunis pressed Her Majesty's Government to act in concert with them, particularly with respect to the appointment of Monsieur Roustan, and what answer Her Majesty's Government have made to those proposals?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKESir, it is not the fact, so far as Her Majesty's Government are aware, that the Italian Government have refused to recognize the French Protectorate in Tunis, or the 24 appointment of M. Roustan. The Italian Government have inquired of Her Majesty's Government, through the Italian Ambassador in London, what are the views of Her Majesty's Government on certain questions arising out of the position of France in Tunis, and Lord Granville has, in reply, informed his Excellency of the communications which Her Majesty's Ambassador in Paris has been instructed to make to the French Government on these questions.
§ LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILLThe hon. Baronet has not answered the last part of my Question. Is it true that the Italian Government have more than once pressed Her Majesty's Government to act in concert with them, particularly with respect to the appointment of M. Roustan?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEThe Question will be best answered by the Papers before the House. No such phrase as "acting in concert" was used. Her Majesty's Government has been asked its opinion on certain points, and our opinion has been communicated to the Italian Government.