§ Sir E. CARSONMay I ask the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is in a position to make any announcement to the House about Turkey?
§ Sir G. CAVEMr. Deputy-Speaker, I would ask leave to make a statement which I know will be of interest to the House. Some days ago, General Townshend was liberated in order to inform the British Admiral in Command in the Ægean that the Turkish Government asked that negotiations should be opened immediately for an armistice between Turkey and the Allies.
A reply was sent, that if the Turkish Government sent fully accredited plenipotentiaries, Vice-Admiral Calthorpe was empowered to inform them of the conditions upon which the Allies would agree to 1644 a cessation of hostilities, and to sign an armistice on these conditions on their behalf.
Turkish plenipotentiaries arrived at Mudros early this week and an armistice was signed by Vice-Admiral Calthorpe on behalf of the Allied Governments last night, and came into operation at noon to-day.
It is not possible as yet to publish the full terms of the armistice, but they include free passage for the Allied Fleets through the Bosphorus to the Black Sea; the occupation of the forts on the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus necessary to secure their passage; end the immediate repatriation of all Allied prisoners of war.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODMay I ask the right hon. and learned Gentleman whether there is any authority for the armistice terms that were published in the newspapers this morning, and, if not, how they came to be made public?
§ Sir G. CAVEThese statements are wholly unauthorised, and on the face of them obviously incorrect.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODare they not on the face of them also obviously ridiculous?
§ Sir G. CAVEIt is not possible to state when the full terms will be announced.
Mr. RUNCIMANMay I, in a single word, say with what extreme satisfaction we have heard of the cessation of hostilities with Turkey and of the terms which have been secured.