§ 30. Mr. W. THORNEasked the Prime Minister whether at Genoa, before the Treaty of Rapallo between Russia and Germany, Dr. Rathenau made three attempts to arrange a private meeting with him; and can he state if any meeting was held before Dr. Rathenau and the Russian delegates signed the Rapallo Treaty?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe Genoa Conference opened on Monday, 10th April. The Rapallo Treaty was signed on Easter Day, 16th April. I saw Dr. Rathenau for a few minutes early in the week, and in reply to two messages through one of my Private Secretaries I said that I would arrange a meeting with him and the German Chancellor as soon as the first strain of Conference work was over. It was also made quite plain that no questions affecting Germany's special interests would be discussed in the absence of German representatives. I actually tried to arrange a meeting with the Chancellor and Dr. Rathenau on Easter Day, but Dr. Rathenau's absence at Rapallo made this impossible.
§ Sir A. SHIRLEY BENNDid the right hon. Gentleman receive any information showing that the agreement between Russia and Germany was made 538 prior to Genoa, and that the signing at Rapallo was only the visible sign of the agreement being concluded?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI have had some information that negotiations had been conducted in Berlin, and that only the final stages were concluded at Rapallo.