MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) what portion of the Ottoman Public Debt is now borne by Greece in pursuance of Article X. of the Convention of 24th May 1881, which provided that Greece should bear a part of that debt proportionate to the revenues of the ceded territories transferred to her by the Convention from Turkey; (2) what steps have been taken by Her Majesty's Government during the 15 years which have elapsed since the signature of that Convention, to procure the carrying out of the stipulation of Article X. that Great Britain, Germany, Austria, France, and Russia should determine between their Representatives at Constantinople and the Sublime Porte, the portion of the debt to be borne by Greece; (3) what has been the result of those steps, if any; (4) whether Her Majesty's Government have received any representations from the Turkish Government on this subject since the signature of the Convention; and, if so, whether he can give the reference to any Blue-book in which such representations and the replies thereto may be found; and, (5) whether any recent Dispatch has been received by Her Majesty's Government on the subject?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. GEORGE CURZON,) Lancashire, SouthportNo contribution to the Ottoman Public Debt had been made by Greece, the quota to be paid by her never having been determined by the Powers. In answer to the Questions in paragraphs 2, 3, 4 and 5, I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member on the 21st, which related throughout to the case of Greece as well as to those of Bulgaria, Servia and Montenegro. The correspondence on the subject has not appeared in any Blue-book, and belonging as it does in the main to the year 1885, is now somewhat out of date.