§ 5. Mr. R. McNEILLasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether an international mission has recently been sent to Montenegro; if so, will he say of what persons the mission was composed, by whose authority was it sent, what were its instructions, and was the Royal Government of Montenegro consulted as to the despatch of the mission; and has any protest been received by the delegates of the Allied Powers in Paris from the Montenegrin Government with regard to the mission?
Mr. HARMSWORTHA mission, consisting of a United States military officer on behalf of the United States Government and of a distinguished British diplomatist on behalf of His Majesty's Government, recently proceeded to Montenegro in order to obtain information with regard to conditions prevailing in that country. The Government of Montenegro were not consulted as to the appointment of this mission, and have made no protest on the subject.
§ Mr. McNEILLWhy were the Montenegrin Government not consulted, seeing that they were a sovereign and Allied State and that it would be in accordance with the usual procedure?
§ 10. Mr. McNEILLasked the Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government have officially recognised the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes; and whether such recognition has safeguarded the right of the Montenegrin people to determine for themselves whether or not they shall be included in such Kingdom, and under what conditions as to the retention or otherwise of their own monarchy in the event of their desiring to be so included?
Mr. HARMSWORTHThe reply to the first part of the question is in the affrmative. The second part is a matter for the consideration of the Peace Conference in Paris.
§ Mr. McNEILLCan my hon. Friend not give any information as to the terms upon which the recognition has taken place, as asked in the second part of the question?