§ MR. O'GRADYI beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that among the copies of telegrams seized by the general of the Nationalist forces after the capture of the telegraph office serving the Royalist troops at Tabriz, were two telegrams from the Royalist general to the Shah of Persia, the first requesting His Majesty to give instructions through the Russian Legation in Teheran for the supply of from 10,000 to. 20,000 cartridges through the Russian Consul-General at Tabriz, and the second acknowledging the receipt of this order for cartridges; and whether such interference by the Russian Legation in Teheran in the internal affairs of Persia is in accordance with the tenour of the Anglo-Russian Convention.
§ SIR EDWARD GREYI have no information bearing out the accuracy of this allegation.
§ MR. O'GRADYMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether, in view of the strong point he made against Members on these benches, when they raised the question of the King's visit to Reval, and his objection to the interference by one country in the internal affairs of another, the Government will move—
§ *MR. SPEAKEROrder, order. The hon. Member is simply raising a debate.
DR. RUTHERFORD (Middlesex, Brentford)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, with a view to Persians managing their own affairs, he will make friendly representations to the Government of Russia to recall the Russian officers serving in Persia.
§ SIR EDWARD GREYThe Russian officers in Persia are in the employment of the Shah, and have been so for several years past. It is a matter in which the Governments of Russia and Persia are alone concerned, but I am informed that 69 no Russian officers have taken any part in the recent fighting between Persian forces.
§ SIR EDWARD GREYNo, Sir; my information is that no Russian troops have crossed the Persian frontier. According to my information, what has happened is this. For some time there has been constant fighting between Royalist and Nationalist forces at Tabriz. Tabriz is very close to the Russian frontier. Russian trade has, of course, suffered. A Russian post was attacked, and one report is that lives of Russians were in danger. Russia then moved, I think, about 400 men to the frontier, but as the fighting had ceased, and it was stated that the danger to Russian lives had also ceased, the troops were ordered not to cross. I am informed that the Russian troops have orders not to cross the frontier unless Russian lives are in danger.
§ MR. DILLON (Mayo, E.)Have the British Government consented to the Russian troops crossing the frontier?
§ SIR EDWARD GREYWe have always claimed the right to take what measures we think fit when British lives are in danger, and we could not refuse the same liberty of action to others. But, inasmuch as the policy which has been pursued by both Governments is that of non-intervention, and as there has been considerable disturbance close to the Russian frontier, and the Russians have not sent troops across the frontier, I think I am justified in saying that they have acted in accordance with the spirit of the Convention.
§ MR. DILLONI beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will now lay upon the Table Papers on the affairs of Persia.
§ SIR EDWARD GREYPapers will be prepared, and the question of future publication will be considered when the present crisis in Persia has passed.
§ MR. LYNCH (Yorkshire, W.R., Ripon)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for 70 Foreign Affairs whether, during the entire period of the recent critical events in Tabriz, the British Consul-General, acting under instructions from His Majesty's Government, was absent from his post, while the Russian Consul-General was present throughout the struggle; and whether steps can be taken to secure that in future there shall be equality of representation as between Great Britain and Russia in this capital of Northern Persia.
§ SIR EDWARD GREYThe answer to the first Question is in the affirmative: the presence of His Majesty's Consul-General being urgently required at Urumia in connection with the Turco-Persian frontier dispute. During the absence of the Consul-General, the Vice-Consul was in charge. As to the second Question, the British Consul-General has now returned to his post, and there is no intention of withdrawing him.