HC Deb 28 April 1908 vol 187 cc1082-3
MR. LYNCH (Yorkshire,W.R., Ripon)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether the Amir of Afghanistan has notified his consent to the Articles of the Anglo-Russian Convention concerning Afghanistan; whether these Articles will have any validity in case the consent of the Amir should not be forthcoming; and whether he can inform the House why the Amir of Afghanistan is not referred to in the Convention by the title of His Majesty, this being the title given to the Amir in the Treaty between Great Britain and Afghanistan, signed at Kabul on 21st March, 1905.

MR. BUCHANAN

I would refer my hon. friend to the Answer given on the 14th instant to a similar Question by the hon. Member for the St. Andrews District. It would serve no useful purpose to discuss the hypothetical case contemplated by the Question. The Convention does not profess to give the full title of His Majesty the Amir as recited in the Treaty of 21st March, 1905.

MR. LYNCH

The hon. Gentleman has not answered the second part of my Question.

MR. BUCHANAN

I said it would serve no useful purpose to discuss a hypothetical case.

MR. SMEATON (Stirlingshire)

Has the Amir given his consent to the Convention?

MR. BUCHANAN

I have answered that by referring the hon. Gentleman to a previous Answer.

SIR H. COTTON

Has the consent yet been given?

MR. BUCHANAN

Not yet.

MR. SMEATON

And is that a matter of surprise in view of the humiliating position in which the Amir has been placed?

*MR. SPEAKER

That is a matter of opinion.