§ MR. BENNETT (Oxfordshire, Woodstock)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can give some assurance to this House that no annexation of the Congo State by Belgium will be accepted by His Majesty's Government, unless such annexation is strictly in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Berlin Treaty.
§ SIR EDWARD GREYIn the opinion of His Majesty's Government the area comprised in the Congo Free State is bound by the terms of the Berlin Act, which cannot be varied except by the common consent of the Signatory Powers. This clearly applies to any transfer of the State from one Government to another.