§ MR. JAMES BRYCE (Aberdeen, S.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether any, and, if so, what progress has been or is now being made in the removal of Turkish troops from Crete, and in the settlement of the form of that autonomy which the Six Powers have promised to offer to the Cretan people?
MR. CURZONThe difficulties in the way of the withdrawal of the Turkish troops from Crete, which, I stated in my reply to the hon. Member for Northampton on the 27th inst., still hold good, and it has not, in consequence, been found possible to make any further progress in arranging for their removal. With regard to the settlement of the form of autonomy which is to be granted to the Cretans, I have nothing to add to the answer which I returned to the hon. Member for the South Molton Division on the 4th inst.—namely, that the Great Powers intend to carry the project into effect, but that the continued presence of the Greek troops and the consequent attitude of the Cretan Christians render progress in this respect very difficult.
§ MR. BRYCEAm I to understand from that answer that the form of the autonomy, the outlines that it will take, have not yet been settled?
MR. CURZONThese matters have been under the consideration of the Powers, but I have given reasons why it has not been practicable hitherto to put a scheme of autonomy into practical operation in the island.