MR. GIBSON BOWLESI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether Her Majesty's Government have received any communication from the Turkish Government relative to the project of a new organisation for the provinces in Asia Minor inhabited by Armenians, suggested 1559 by Russia, France, and England, in the joint note of 11th May last; whether that project has received any official support from Germany, Austria, or Italy; whether Her Majesty's Government propose to consult with the Governments of Germany, Austria, and Italy, or to arrive at any concert with those Governments before taking further proceedings in the matter; whether they are now able either to lay any Papers upon the Table of this House, or to give information as to the present condition and prospects of the negotiations; and, whether they will undertake that no action beyond diplomatic representations or negotiations will be taken by themselves without Parliament being previously informed of the grounds on which such action is based?
* MR. CURZONSeveral communications have been received from the Turkish Government, the general purport of which has been correctly stated in the Press. They cannot unfortunately be considered as satisfactory. The project has not received official support from the three Powers mentioned, but it is believed that they are in sympathy with it and that they have unofficially advised the Porte to give it favourable consideration. Her Majesty's Government are not in a position to make any declaration as to the course which they may find it necessary to pursue, nor to give any undertaking of the character indicated in the concluding paragraph of the Question. Concerning Papers, I will answer in reply to a question lower down on the Paper.
MR. GIBSON BOWLESasked the right hon. Gentleman whether he could say on what ground Her Majesty's Government based their belief that Germany, Austria, and Italy were in sympathy with the project?
* MR. CURZONsaid he would not have made the statement if he had not had information on which he could rely.
MR. GIBSON BOWLESasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether the attention of Her Majesty's Government had been called to the statement of the Russian newspaper Novosti that the time had arrived 1560 for the three Powers intervening on behalf of the Armenians to supplement their representations to the Porte by a united naval demonstration at the Dardanelles; and, whether Her Majesty's Government had any intention of making or taking part in any such demonstration?
* MR. CURZONThe paper in question has no official character, and the attention of Her Majesty's Government had not been called to the statement referred to. No proposals of such a character have been made; but it would not be desirable in the public interest to make any announcement as to the course which may eventually be taken.
MR. GIBSON BOWLESI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether the attention of Her Majesty's Government has been called to the statement of the Russian newspaper Novastie that the time has arrived for the three Powers intervening on behalf of the Armenians to supplement their representations to the Porte by a United Naval Demonstration at the Dardanelles; and, whether Her Majesty's Government have any intention of making or taking part in any such demonstration?
* MR. CURZONThe paper in question has no official character, and the attention of Her Majesty's Government had not been called to the statement referred to. No proposals of such a character have been made. But it would not be desirable in the public interest to make any announcement as to the course which may eventually be taken.
§ MR. H. J. WILSON (York, W. R., Holmforth)On behalf of the hon. Member for Northampton East, Mr. F. A. Channing, I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether Her Majesty's Government have received confirmation of the reported threatening attitude of Turkish troops in the neighbourhood of Erzinghian, in Armenia, and of acts of violence by those troops and, whether steps have been taken by representations to the Porte or by other means, to prevent the outrages and possible massacres apprehended by the Christian population?
* MR. CURZONSince the reply given to the hon. Member's question or 1561 the 29th ult., a telegram on the subject has been received from Her Majesty's Ambassador at Constantinople. He reports, from information obtained through Her Majesty's Consul at Erzeroum, that about the 12th of August a Turkish Lieutenant Colonel was attacked and robbed near Kermakh, by unknown brigands, and that a sergeant of his escort was killed. The crime was attributed by the Turkish Authorities to Armenians, and they had despatched a large military force in pursuit, who were said to be plundering villages and monasteries, and committing various outrages. Several Armenians had been arrested in Erzinghian, and the leading members of the community there had appealed for protection to the Armenian Archbishop at Erzeroum. Her Majesty's Ambassador at once made representations to the Turkish Government, and has been informed by the Grand Vizier that orders have been telegraphed to Erzinghian for the release of the Armenians arrested on account of the incident.
§ MR. H. J. WILSONOn behalf of the hon. Member for Northampton East, I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether the alleged difficulties in carrying out the distribution of the relief funds raised in England to meet the necessities of the distressed population of the Sassoun district have been overcome by the representations made to the Porte; and, whether any further steps will be taken to expedite the distribution of the relief at the earliest moment?
* MR. CURZONThe latest reports received from Her Majesty's Ambassador at Constantinople show that no difficulties are now being raised with regard to the distribution of relief in the Sassoun district, and that Mr. Hampson, British Vice-Consul at Moush, is acting in concert with the Turkish authorities. No requests or suggestions have been received from Mr. Hampson as to any further steps that can be taken in the matter.
§ * MR. A. D. PROVAND (Glasgow, Blackfriars)In the absence of Mr. C. E. Schwann, Manchester, N., I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether, in view of the Report of the Turkish 1562 Commissioners who conducted the late inquiry into the massacres of last autumn in the Sassoun district of Armenia being published, Her Majesty's Government will publish the notes made and Reports handed in by the British representative who attended the sittings and examined witnesses both before and outside that Commission?
* MR. CURZONHer Majesty's Government are cousulting the other Governments whose Delegates attended the Commission as to the publication of their joint Report. Subject to this assent being given, the Report in question will be presented at the earliest possible date.
MR. GIBSON BOWLESinquired if the right hon. Gentleman proposed to publish the joint Report of May 11, and if he would now reply to the question, whether Her Majesty's Government proposed to consult the Governments of Germany, Austria, and Italy before taking further action?
* MR. CURZONsaid, that he had already replied to the last question. He was not in a position to give a promise as to the publication of the Report.
MR. GIBSON BOWLESWill the right hon. Gentleman say whether the Government propose to consult the Governments of Germany, Austria, and Italy?
* MR. CURZONI thought I had made it clear that Her Majesty's Government must have been in consultation with the other Governments, or else I could not have given my answer.