§ 15. Sir RICHARD COOPERasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if any negotiations are in progress with the object of obtaining for British prisoners of war who have been eighteen months in Turkish hands internment in a neutral country?
§ Mr. JAMES HOPE (Lord of the Treasury)The question of arranging for the internment in a neutral country of British and Turkish prisoners of war was carefully considered by His Majesty's Government, but was not found to be practicable for lack of accommodation in any available neutral country, as well as on account of the difficulty of transporting the large numbers of Turkish prisoners from Egypt, India, and Burma to any suitable neutral territory. As my hon. Friend is aware, an agreement for the repatriation of British and Turkish prisoners on the ground of health has been signed and only awaits ratification by the Turkish Government.