HC Deb 14 February 1895 vol 30 cc746-7
MR. F. A. CHANNING

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether, having regard to the importance of obtaining the fullest disclosure of the truth as to events in Armenia, steps will be taken by the Foreign Office to secure the rights of British subjects to visit all parts of the Turkish Empire under the provisions of the Capitulalations of 1875 or otherwise?

SIR E. GREY

The right of foreigners to visit all parts of the Turkish Empire under the provisions of the Capitulations would not appear to affect the power claimed by every independent State of refusing to admit foreigners or allow them to travel when their presence may be considered by it to be contrary to the public interest or dangerous to order. It has, however, been pointed out to the Porte that the movements of unoffending British travellers should not be interfered with.

MR. CHANNING

asked whether the answer referred to the whole of Asia Minor or only to the villages of Susan.

SIR E. GREY

said it referred to the whole of Asia Minor.

MR. CHANNING

And to newspaper correspondents

SIR E. GREY

said he had already intimated in his answer that each independent State claimed the right to a certain discretion as to whether newspaper correspondents should be admitted or not.