HC Deb 05 November 1918 vol 110 cc1943-56
The PRIME MINISTER (Mr. Lloyd George)

With the permission of the House, I should like to make a statement. I think the House would desire to have such information as I am in a position to give it in regard to the Conferences of the Allies which have been meeting at Versailles, and about the important events of last week.

The Conferences were attended by Ministers representative of France, Italy, and Great Britain, by Colonel House, as representing the President of the United States, by the naval and military advisers of the Allied Governments, and by representatives of Japan, Belgium, Serbia, Greece, and Portugal, and also of the Czecho-Slovaks.

The first matter to which the Supreme War Council gave its attention was the final elimination of Turkey from the War. The terms of the Armistice with Turkey and the conditions under which it was signed have already been made public, and I need say litle more on that subject. The conditions of the Armistice not only deprived Germany of her Eastern Ally, but give to the Allied Governments the command of the Black Sea—a matter of great importance, from the point of view of the future conduct of the War. Last week, whilst the Conference was sitting, we heard that the Commander-in-Chief of the Austro-Hungarian Army had sent a parlementaire across the lines to General Diaz, asking for the conditions upon which the Allies would grant an armistice. After the fullest consultation, both with their naval and military advisers, the Supreme War Council agreed upon the conditions, and they were immediately dispatched to General Diaz, for transmission to the Austro-Hungarian Commander-in-Chief and Government. The terms as communicated to Austria Hungary were as follow: