HC Deb 23 June 1896 vol 41 c1690
MR. FLYNN

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether the Foreign Office has yet received any information from Constantinople touching the recent statements of Baron de Vialar, Military Attaché of the French Embassy, in regard to the alleged outrages at Marash, Diarbekir, and Zeitoun; and, if so, will the information be laid before the House, and when?

MR. CURZON

No, Sir; we have heard that the French Military Attaché has recently returned to Constantinople from Armenia, but we have not heard of any statements having been made by him with regard to fresh outrages at Marash, Diarbekir and Zeitoun.

MR. FLYNN

These statements were reported more than ten days ago. May I ask whether the Foreign Office has received or made any attempt to obtain information from Sir Philip Currie in reference to the representations of an officer so highly placed?

Mr. CURZON

It is perhaps hardly open to Her Majesty's Government to make any inquiry as to the contents of a report alleged to have been written by a French military officer presumably for the information of the French Government. Had the report contained any fresh information of the kind suggested, we should probably have heard of it.

MR. FLYNN

When is it possible the House may expect it will be given any further information on the subject?

MR. CURZON

Directly we receive any information, I shall be most happy to communicate it to the House.

MR. FLYNN

I shall put a question on an early day.