§ Mr. T. P. O'CONNOR(by Private Notice) asked the Leader of the House whether it is a fact that a Treaty has been made between Italy and Turkey; whether the British Government knew that such a Treaty was going to be entered into; and whether any remonstrance has been made to the Italian authorities?
§ Colenel WEDGWOODWhy is it, Mr. Speaker, that while this question was put upon the Paper yesterday by another hon. Member, you have allowed him to be anticipated by a private notice question?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI did not observe the fact that a similar question was put on the Paper yesterday, and I suppose that must have been the case with other hon. Members. The matter only came to my notice in the Press this morning. That is the reason why I called on the hon. Member for the Scotland Division.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODIt was in the Press yesterday morning, Sir.
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe Italian Government informed His Majesty's Govern- 1345 ment on 24th April that they had con-eluded an agreement with the Constantinople Government by which the latter undertook to examine favourably Italian applications for certain concessions for railways, mines and public works in Asia Minor, but they have given formal assurances that the agreement contains no counter-concessions or undertakings on their part, and have promised to communicate the text of it to His Majesty's Government as soon as possible.
His Majesty's Government were informed at the time of the Paris Conference that the Turkish Government had made certain proposals to the Italian Government and advised the latter to proceed with extreme caution, but they were not aware that an agreement was about to be concluded, and no information regarding subsequent negotiations was communicated to them. Representations were addressed to the Italian Government through the Italian Ambassador in London on 27th April.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODWhen the Italian Government communicate to us the text of this agreement, will they be understood to be communicating also any letters relating to or amplifying that text?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI cannot assume primâ facie that when they communicate the text they will withhold other communications which alter the sense of the text.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODCan we ask to have these amplifying letters—if such exist—communicated to us at the same time?
§ Lord R. CECILHave the Italian Government given any indication as to what was the consideration for this agreement? Have they given any undertakings?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThey have given formal assurances that the agreement contains no counter-concessions or under takings on their part.
§ Lord R. CECILI do not know whether my right hon. Friend will say whether Mustapha Kemal is a philanthropist or what ground he has had for making these promises, unless some consideration has been given?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe Noble Lord has framed a question on the foreign policy of a foreign Government, and it is a rather delicate matter upon which to give an answer, but his question suggests one of the obvious objections to an agreement of this kind, even though it be wholly one-sided.
§ Colonel WEDGWOOD rose——
§ Mr. SPEAKERI think it is for me to deal with the question. Colonel Wedgwood.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODCould we ask the Italian Government whether there have been any letters accompanying this agreement, similar to those letters between M. Franklin-Bouillon and the Angora Government, which accompanied the French Treaty and seriously modified that agreement?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINWe certainly could ask. I will communicate with my Noble Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs as to whether he thinks it desirable that we should. I have assumed from the answer that there could be no such subsidiary correspondence affecting the main agreement.
§ Mr. O'CONNORMay I ask if the British Government will not seriously consider whether the discussion and decision of the future relations between Turkey and Greece should not be referred to another tribunal than that which has as two of its members Governments of countries that have made separate treaties with Turkey, one of the parties to the dispute?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat raises so serious a matter that I think it ought to be put down on the Paper.
Lieut.-Colonel J. WARDDoes not the right hon. Gentleman think that, seeing how little deference has been paid by both the French and Italian Governments to the interests of their chief Ally, Britain, in this matter, it is nearly time the British Government decided to make their own terms without deference or consideration to their Allies, who ignore them so completely?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI think such large questions had better be put on the Paper.