§ 73. Major BREESEasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Roumanian Minister of Finance, Mr. Nicolas Titulescu, had an interview with him on 11th August last; whether he is aware that the Roumanian Government has not paid for several years past the interest on British-held Roumanian Government 1908 bonds; whether he suggested to Mr. Titulescu that the failure by the Roumanian Government to honour its obligations would hinder the revival of Anglo-Roumanian commercial relations; whether the Roumanian Government has, since the date of the interview, paid its dishonoured interest coupons owned by British holders of the Rou- 575 manian Government 1908 bonds; and whether it is now meeting current coupons on the 1908 bonds as they fall due for payment in Paris?
§ 81. Sir ROBERT NEWMANasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that the Roumanian Minister of Finance, Mr. Nicolas Titulescu, is reported to have said on 11th August last that payment was shortly to be made of the arrears of interest on Roumanian Government bonds held by British subjects; whether he is aware that no such payment has yet been made with regard to the bonds of the 1903 Loan, payable in Paris, owned by British subjects in Britain; and whether he will take steps to bring the matter before Mr. Take Jonescu and to point out that the desired re-opening of commercial intercourse between British manufacturers and Roumanian traders is delayed owing to the bad impression created in the minds of British manufacturers by the failure of the Roumanian Government to maintain good faith towards its British creditors with regard to British holdings of the 1908 Loan?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI will answer these questions together. At an inter view between the Roumanian Minister of Finance and myself on 11th August the former referred to a question which had been asked in the House of Commons the day before, and stated that he was making arrangements for paying up to date the coupons which had inevitably fallen into arrear during the last period of the War on the British-owned bonds of the London issue of the 4½ per cent. Roumanian Government Loan of 1913. I understand that this promise has been strictly fulfilled. Perhaps I ought not to describe it as a promise, but as an expression of intention. I understand the intention has been fully carried out. I had no discussion with the Roumanian Minister of Finance in regard to the payment, of coupons of bonds of others than the London issue of the 1913 loan, nor of bonds of the 1908 loan, which I understand is not known in the London market and is not payable in London. I will only add that I am confident, from the conversations which I have had with Roumanian Ministers, that they are as anxious as any of us to fulfil their national obligations