§ 1. Mr. WALTER GUINNESSasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Powers consider it essential that there should be some guarantees for the protection of Albanian Musselmen and Catholic minorities in the territory ceded to Servia and Montenegro; and whether the same guarantees for religious and racial minorities will be insisted on in the case of territory ceded to Bulgaria?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. Acland)The question of some guarantees for minorities in certain places on the frontier of Albania has been considered, but it has not yet been settled what form these should take, and I cannot add to what has been said by the Secretary of State on the subject.
§ Mr. W. GUINNESSIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the first part of my question is simply taken from the speech of the Secretary of State on the Consolidated Fund Bill? And are we to understand that the Powers propose to institute 1789 a protectorate over those parts of Macedonia which have been ceded to Servia and Montenegro?
§ Mr. ACLANDNo. I do not think there is any question of a protectorate of that nature.
§ Sir J. D. REESHas the Secretary of State declined to accept the evidence of the terrible ill-treatment of Albanian Mahomedans and Christians by the Bulgarian Allies?
§ Mr. ACLANDThat arises on a question which the hon. Member has on the Paper for to-morrow.
§ Mr. W. GUINNESSIf there is no protectorate to be imposed upon Servia and Montenegro, surely it is possible to exact the same guarantees for those parts of Macedonia to be ceded to Bulgaria.
§ Mr. ACLANDThat is a matter of opinion.