§ Major ANSTRUTHER-GRAYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he can give any information with regard to Persian affairs?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir Edward Grey)I cannot on the general situation add the news which has appeared in the Press, and which records day by day the state of affairs as clearly as can be expected under the circumstances, certainly as clearly as I can do it.
§ Mr. LYNCHasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether it is a fact that the elections to the Persian Assembly are to commence in a few days time; is it a fact that the posts and telegraphs and other machinery for conducting the elections are still in the hands of the Court party, while those personages who possess the confidence of the Persian people, and of whom many were returned to the late Parliament by their votes, are still in exile; and will he represent to the Persian Government the desirability of postponing the elections until satisfactory guarantees have been given for the faithful observance of the amnesty, and until the statesman whose name they have notified to His Majesty's Government has returned to Persia and taken over the reins of Government?
§ Sir E. GREYThe elections are, according to the information last received, to be held as soon as possible; the posts and telegraphs are, in so far as the latter are not managed by foreign officials, under the control of the Government in power, but there is no indication to show that a partial or improper use will be made of these facilities for communication. A general amnesty for political offences, with licence for exiles to return, has been proclaimed in a separate decree issued on l0th May. I do not think that a representation such as the hon. Member advocates would serve any useful purpose or contribute to the earlier re-establishment of Constitutional Government on a satisfactory basis, or be generally desirable.
§ Mr. LYNCHIs it not a fact that the Persian people elected their representatives to Parliament last summer, and that many of those representatives are in exile? Is it seriously proposed to summon Parliament before these gentlemen have had an opportunity of returning to Persia?
§ Mr. REESMay I ask whether the Foreign Office has any means of knowing which persons possess the confidence of the Persian people, and whether the fact that they were once elected proves that they do possess that confidence?
§ Sir E. GREYI am quite willing to give such facts as I possess, but I cannot enter into arguments about the Persian situation.
§ Mr. LYNCHIs it proposed before these gentlemen return to Persia, and have had the opportunity of submitting themselves for re-election, that Parliament should assemble?
§ Sir E. GREYThat is a question that should be more properly addressed to the Persian Government.
§ Mr. LYNCHasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the State of Persia has promulgated the new electoral law; and can he state what changes are introduced by this law?
§ Sir E. GREYThe electoral law was signed by the Shah on 23rd June. I have not yet seen the text, but His Majesty's Minister at Teheran has reported that it is of a most democratic character.