HC Deb 16 March 1904 vol 131 c1253
SIR JOHN KENNAWAY (Devonshire, Honiton)

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he can state on what date the demands of the Austro-Hungarian and Russian Ambassadors for the reorganisation of the gendarmerie in the Balkan Provinces were presented to the Porte; if he has any official information showing that an early and favourable answer will be returned; and, in the contrary event, will His Majesty's Government, in view of the urgency of the situation and the continuance of outrages, use their utmost influence with the Porte to obtain it; and whether any progress has been made with the appointment of Assessors in Macedonia.

*EARL PERCY

The demands formulated by General de Giorgis for the reorganisation of the Macedonian gendarmerie were presented to the Porte by the Austro-Hungarian and Russian Ambassadors on the 1st of March. His Majesty's Ambassador has strongly urged upon the Turkish Government the immediate acceptance of these demands which have been declared to be the minimum that Great Britain could accept. The Austro-Hungarian and Russian Civil Assessors were appointed in the month of December last and have been engaged since January in elaborating with Hilmi Pacha, the Turkish Inspector-General, the details of the scheme of administrative reforms.