§ 32. Mr. ORMSBY-GOREasked the Prime Minister whether he can give the House any information regarding recent political or miliary developments in Syria; whether His Highness the Emir Feisul has been proclaimed king of a sovereign independent Syrian state by a Constituent. Assembly at Damascus and with the approval of the great mass of the Syrian people in the former vilayets of Syria and Aleppo; and whether the Allied and Associated Powers will recognise this independence; and, if so, within what territorial boundaries?
§ The PRIME MINISTERIt appears that the Emir Feisul was proclaimed King of Syria, including apparently Palestine and Syria, by a Congress at Damascus on March 8th; but of whom this Congress was composed, or what authority it possessed, it is not yet known. As it is obvious that the future of the territories which have been conquered from the former Ottoman Empire can only properly be determined by the Allied Powers, who are at present assembled in Conference for the purpose, 2360 the Emir Feisul has been informed by the British and French Governments, acting in concert, that they cannot recognise the validity of these proceedings, and the Emir has been invited to come to Europe to state his case.
§ The PRIME MINISTERHe is invited to come to Europe to state his position in regard to the whole of that territory.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODIs it not a fact that he has come to an arrangement with the Palestinian authorities, and he does not claim any authority over Palestine?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThat he will be able to state when he comes.