§ 17. Lord H. CAVENDISH-BENTINCKasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether Article 54 of the Treaty of Neuilly, guaranteeing equal rights and protection to Bulgarian minorities, has been ignored in Greek and Serbian Macedonian territory; and why the stipulations of Article 54 have 1516 not been placed under the guarantee of the League of Nations, as provided by Article 57?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. Cecil Harmsworth)The Noble Lord has mistaken the object of Article 54 of the Treaty of Neuilly, which is to protect persons of alien race, religion or language resident in Bulgaria. The protection of persons of alien race, religion or language resident in Serbia and Greece is secured by special Treaties with those two countries. The second part of the question does not therefore arise.
§ 18. Lord H. CAVENDISH-BENTINCKasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what arrangements are being made in the Peace Treaty with the Turks to give effect to Article 48 of the Treaty of Neuilly, which guarantees to Bulgaria an access to the Ægean Sea; and whether it is the non-fulfilment of Article 48 that is paralysing Bulgarian trade, thus injuring also the trade of Great Britain?
§ Mr. HARMSWORTHArticle 48 of the Treaty of Neuilly is entirely independent of any Peace Treaty with the Turks. The answer to the latter part of the question is in the negative.
§ Lord H. CAVENDISH-BENTINCKAre the Government going to take any steps to see that the Treaty of Neuilly is carried out?
§ Mr. HARMSWORTHI will send my Noble Friend a copy of the so-called Thracian Treaty, which will give him the full information which His Majesty's Government possess.
§ Colonel Sir C. YATECan the hon. Gentleman say where the Bulgarians are to have an outlet to the sea?
§ Mr. HARMSWORTHIt is proposed that the Bulgarians shall have access to the sea at Dedeagatch.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODWhat additional rights are they to get in order to have that access to the Ægean?
§ Mr. HARMSWORTHI am told that the Thracian Treaty has not yet been ratified, but I will send my hon. and gallant Friend a copy of it.
§ Sir C. YATEWill the hon. Gentleman also send me one?
§ 28. Colonel WEDGWOODasked the Prime Minister whether the Paris Conference on the Near East took into consideration the Treaty of the Trianon and the rights of the Bulgarian people in East Thrace; and, if so, why the reported decision took no account of Bulgaria or of Bulgarian access to the Ægean?
§ Mr. HARMSWORTHI do not know what are the Bulgarian interests in Eastern Thrace to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers. The question of Bulgarian access to the Ægean was not raised in the recent Conference, which was concerned with the revision of the Treaty of Sèvres.
§ 29. Captain ELLIOTasked the Prime Minister whether any modification of the Peace Treaty with Bulgaria is contemplated, in consideration of the modification of her situation by the alterations suggested by the Paris Conference on the Treaty of Sèvres?
§ Mr. HARMSWORTHThe answer is in the negative.
§ 33. Mr. A. HERBERTasked the Prime Minister whether, seeing that a definite pledge was given in the Treaty of Neuilly that Bulgaria should have access to the Ægean Sea, he is aware that Bulgaria has no access to that sea and that in consequence British commerce suffers by the additional freightage it has to pay; and if he will see that this fact is taken into account in any territorial readjustment in the Near East?
§ Mr. HARMSWORTHI would remind the hon. Member of the reply returned to him on 6th March, and of that given to the hon. and gallant Member for Bury St. Edmunds (Lieut.-Colonel W. Guinness) on 22nd February last, to which there is nothing that I can at present usefully add.