§ MAJOR ANSTRUTHER-GRAYI beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can give any further information with regard to the unrest in Persia.
§ SIR EDWARD GREYThe latest information points to fighting having ceased.
§ MR. LYNCH (Yorkshire, W.R., Ripon)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Cossacks guarding the approaches to the British legation in Teheran in order to prevent refugees from obtaining sanctuary there have been removed; can he state the nature of the powers conferred on their commander, Colonel Liakhoff; is it a fact that this officer was implicated in the coup d'etat of 1907; and will His Majesty's Government make friendly representations to that of Russia, with a 64 view of securing that officers on the active list of the Russian Army shall in future strictly confine themselves to the function of maintaining order and not engage in operations for the suppression of popular rights guaranteed to the Persian people by the constitution.
§ SIR EDWARD GREYThe Persian troops have been removed. Colonel Liakhoff was stated to have been appointed Governor of Teheran when a state of siege was proclaimed, but a Civil Governor has now been named. I have no information as to the part played by Colonel Liakhoff in the events of 1907; the Shah has announced his intention of maintaining the constitution; and there is no occasion for making representations.
§ MR. LYNCHasked how it was proposed to uphold the independence of Persia if Russian officers in the Persian service were to be permitted to override the provisions of the Persian constitution.
§ SIR EDWARD GREYColonel Liakhoff is in the employment of the Shah, and whatever action he took in the emergency which arose the other day was taken independently of his Government.
§ MR. LYNCHThat no doubt is constitutionally correct, but is not the Shah solely responsible for the Government of Persia?
§ MR. KEIR HARDIEDoes Colonel Liakhoff hold his commission in Russia?
§ SIR EDWARD GREYHis commission is under the Shah as instructor and commander of the Persian troops. He may be on the active list of the Russian army. If so, it is only in the same way as British officers are sometimes maintained on the active list of the British Army, but employed on service abroad under a foreign Government.
CAPTAIN CRAIGWill the hon. right Gentleman take steps to see that Russia does not bag the whole of Persia?
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDWhy was not that attended to when the King met the Czar?
§ *MR. REESThere seems to be a wide impression that Cossacks are Russian troops, whereas they are Persian.
§ SIR EDWARD GREYThe Cossacks are Persians, not Russians.