§ 1. Mr. NEWMANasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has received any recent information as to the position of affairs in Albania and Northern Epirus.
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. Acland)As I stated on the 9th instant a President of the Provisional Government of Epirus was appointed at a public meeting at Argyrocastro on the 28th February. Since then autonomy has been proclaimed at Santi Quaranta, Delvino, and Khimarra. The Greek Government are doing what is in their power to check the spread of disorder. They have blockaded Santi Quaranta, and prohibited ex-officers of the Greek army from proceeding to Epirus to organise resistance. The Prince of Albania has appointed a Dutch officer of the gendarmerie to superintend the occupation of Northern Epirus.
§ Mr. NEWMANWhat has happened to this Dutch officer? Has he been expelled from Epirus?
§ Mr. ACLANDI do not think we have any information, but perhaps the hon. Member will put a question down.
§ 8. Mr. NEWMANasked the Secretary for Foreign Affairs whether he has received information from the Greek Legation that, since the evacuation of the Caza of Corytz by the Hellenic troops, several of the towns and villages have been pillaged by bands of Albanians and 6 the Epirote population severely handled; whether the village of Soriani has been pillaged and the women and girl inhabitants outraged, and the town of Sinitzi attacked and only saved by the resistance offered by its inhabitants to a force of 500 Albanians; and whether the above information was communicated to the Foreign Office in reply to a request for information or spontaneously by the Government at Athens?
§ Mr. ACLANDInformation to that effect has been communicated to me spontaneously by the Greek Legation. I should add that somewhat similar accounts of robbery and outrage on the part of Greeks have been received from official Albanian sources. His Majesty's Government are not in a position to verify the accuracy of these various charges and counter-charges.
§ Mr. NEWMANWill the Foreign Office communicate with the Greek Government on the subject, in order to find out the accuracy or otherwise?
§ Mr. ACLANDAs the boundaries of Albania were settled by the six Great Powers together, I do not think that His Majesty's Government have any responsibility for making special representations while Southern Albania is being pacified, and a stable Government is being set up there.
§ 9. Mr. NEWMANasked the Secretary for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the fact that the Hellenic Government was compelled, under the pressure exercised by two Powers of the Triple Alliance, to abandon the territory it had won in Northern Epirus and to consent to its forcible incorporation in the newly formed principality of Albania, and in view of the outrages that are being daily committed on its inhabitants by bands of Albanians, the Foreign Office of this country intends to bring, or has any means of bringing, pressure on the Powers of the Triple Alliance to allow the Epirotes the autonomous government they have asked for?
§ Mr. ACLANDAs the boundaries of Albania were determined with the consent of all the six Great Powers, the answer is in the negative.