§ 1. Mr. OUTHWAITEasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the statement made recently by the British Ambassador at Petrograd, to the effect that the first attack on the Dardanelles was in part due to a request made by the Russian Government that this operation should be undertaken for the purpose of drawing Turkish forces from the Caucasus, he can make any statement on the subject?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Lord Robert Cecil)I have no doubt it is the case that the operations against the Dardanelles have diverted Turkish troops from the Russian and Egyptian frontiers. But to make a fuller statement as to the strategic objects of military and naval operations which are still in progress does not seem to me expedient, nor could I make it in dependently of the military and naval authorities.
§ Mr. OUTHWAITECan the right hon. Gentleman not give us information which has been given to the Russian people, and which has got into the hands of the Germans?