§ Mr. DILLONasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether he can give an undertaking to the House that no negotiations will be concluded or entered upon for the division of Morocco into spheres of influence before the House has had an opportunity of discussing the proposal?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir Edward Grey)I cannot give a hypothetical undertaking of this kind, but to prevent misconception I ought to add that no negotiations for altering the political status of Morocco are, so far as I am aware, in contemplation.
§ Mr. DILLONasked the Secretary of State whether his attention had been called to the punitive operations being carried on against the tribes in the neighbourhood of Fez; and whether he would direct the British agent in Fez to report fully on the details of those operations and communicate those reports to the House?
§ Sir E. GREYHis Majesty's Representative in Morocco will in the ordinary course report events of importance in Morocco, but I cannot undertake to lay Papers where no British action has been involved; though I may later on be able to give information as to matters of fact, if desired.
§ Mr. DILLONI should like to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether his attention had been called to the fact, that on the day the French troops entered Fez a large district with many villages was ravaged by the Sultan's troops under the command of French officers; the men were killed or dispersed, their crops and sheep all stolen, nearly 80 women and children seized and sold in the market at prices varying from 40 dollars to one dollar for small children; and whether, in view of the fact that France claims to be acting as the mandatory of Europe, and that this expedition to Fez has been undertaken with the assent and approval of the British Government, he does not consider that the British Government is in some measure, at least, responsible for these barbarities, and this House ought to be informed from week to week as to the proceedings of the Sultan and the French troops in Fez for which, as it appears to me, the British Government are in some sense responsible?
§ Sir E. GREYCertainly, the British Government is not responsible. I deprecate very strongly questions of this kind or questions being put in a form which really reflects upon the officers of another Power before it can be possible for His Majesty's Government to have full information as to the facts. It was precisely in consequence of these reports in the Press that I put in the addition to the original answer that I may later on be able to give information as to matters of fact if required. I am quite sure the French Government will be the first to give full details.
§ Mr. DILLONMay I ask whether in view of these reports he will not undertake to give information immediately it reaches the Foreign Office, so that we may know whether these facts, which are stated on very substantial authority, have any foundation?
§ Sir E. GREYThey are not matters in which we have any responsibility. They are matters which primarily concern another Power. I certainly cannot promise to lay Papers which I have not yet received. When full information is received as to the facts I shall be willing to state what our information is.
§ Mr. ASHLEYAre these facts made on any substantial basis at all?
§ Sir E. GREYNo, Sir; my statement with regard to information as to facts was 1196 not intended to imply that what is reported in the Press is a fact. On the contrary, my statement as to the facts was intended to mean that until we know what the facts were it was certainly impossible for me to give information, and as I said in the previous answer I think it very undesirable that Members should draw premature conclusions.