§ 20. Mr. KINGasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that the Russian Convention of 16th July, 1917, signed provisionally by M. Terestchenko on behalf of the Russian Government, has not been ratified by the Government of Russia as required by Russian law; whether any treaty or convention is operative without the required ratification; and whether he can give any instance within ten years of unratified treaties being regarded as operative?
§ The MINISTER of BLOCKADE (Lord R. Cecil)The signature of M. Terestchenko was not provisional. Treaties may, and often do, become operative without ratification. A case in point is our military agreement with France.
§ Mr. KINGIs the Noble Lord aware that he has not answered the first part of the question? He has evaded it.
§ Lord R. CECILI have not evaded it. I said the very answer that the signature of M. Terestchenko was not provisional.
§ Lord R. CECILWe have not anything to do with Russian law. We only have to do with international law.