HC Deb 24 November 1919 vol 121 cc1434-6
60 Mr. RONALD McNEILL

asked (l) the Prime Minister whether any proposal has ben made at the Allied Council in Paris that Serbia should be requested to make compensation to Montenegro for the burning of over 3,000 Montenegrin dwellings and the assassination of large numbers of Montenegrin people, including women and children, by Serbian soldiers in occupation of that country; and, if not, in view of the fact that in 1915 the remnant of the Serbian Army was saved from destruction by the gallantry of the Montenegrin Army in covering its retreat through Montenegrin territory, and also that the continued occupation of Monte negro by Serbian troops has no justification in international law and amounts to war by one of our Allies against another, whether he will bring the claims of Montenegro for compensation before the Council of the Allies, in which Monte negro is unrepresented;

(2) the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has yet seen the summary of the De Salis Report on Montenegro published in the Paris edition of the "Chicago Tribune" on the 1st November, exposing the bogus character of the so-called Parliament of Podgoritza, and declaring that the people of Montenegro have no desire to be annexed by Serbia; whether the publication of some of the principal (ladings of the Report has led him to alter the decision not to lay the Report upon the Table of the House;

(3) whether, in view of his statement that the publication of the De Salis Report on Montenegro would be dangerous for those Montenegrins who gave information to Count de Salis, he will consider the publication of the Report with the omission of the names of those who would be so endangered;

(4) whether any Ally, other than Monte negro, who actually fought against the Central Powers and whose country was overrun by the enemy, was excluded from the Peace Conference; what was the reason for the exceptional treatment of Montenegro;

(5) whether, in view of his statement that Montenegro has not been a signatory to any of the Peace Treaties so far concluded at Paris which did not directly concern the Montenegrin people, the Treaty with Austria-Hungary has yet been; signed; and whether the people of Monte negro are directly concerned with the settlement of the Balkan peninsula?

Sir H. GREENWOOD

I have seen the document purporting to be an extract from Count de Salis' Report on Montenegro, in which my lion, and learned Friend refers, and see no reason to modify the statements already rcudc in the House on this subject.

As previously stated in this House, the representation of Montenegro was accepted by the Peace Conference in principle; but, as Montenegro is not adjacent to Austria, it was not necessary for the Treaty of Peace with Austria to be signed by a Montenegrin representative. The people of Montenegro are, of course, directly concerned with the settlement the Balkan Peninsula, and the decision has been left open as to how their representative should be chosen.

The Prime; Minister has asked me to say that His Majesty's Government do not know of any claim for compensation such as that alluded to by my hon. and learned Friend.

Mr. McNEILL

The question I asked was whether he would propose that compensation should be given for the wrongs that have been committed?

Sir H. GREENWOOD

I understood the question to be whether a proposal has been made to the Allies that Serbia should be requested to make compensation, and no such proposal has been made, so far as we know.

Mr. McNEILL

Will the hon. Gentleman use his influence that such a proposal shall be made?

Colonel NEWMAN

Is it a fact that over 3,000 buildings were burned?

Sir H. GREENWOOD

I cannot accept that statement as a statement of fact, because I do not know. The other question should be addressed to the Leader of the House.

Mr. McNEILL

May I ask when there will be somebody here from the Foreign Office who does know?

Sir H. GREENWOOD

I am sorry for my hon. and learned Friend, but I am from the Foreign Office. In reference to the 3,000 dwellings, neither the Foreign Office nor anyone else in authority can vouch for that as a statement of fact.

64. Lieut.-Commander YOUNG

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any Report on the conditions in Montenegro was made by the British officer who accompanied General Franchet d'Esperey thither in January of this year in the course of his military duties; and, if so, whether the Report can be made available for the information of the public?

Sir H. GREENWOOD

An unofficial and confidential report was made by the officer in question. It was not intended, however, for publication.