§ 7. Mr. PONSONBYasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Ambassadors' Conference, before coming to a decision with regard to Eastern Galicia, had any consultation with representatives of the Soviet Government, in view of the fact that the population of Eastern Galicia is largely Ukrainian, and the Ukraine is one of the republics of the Russian federation?
§ Mr. McNEILLThe answer is in the negative, but by Article 3 of the Russo-Polish Treaty, signed at Riga on 18th March, 1921, Russia and the Ukraine expressed their disinterestedness in all territories situated to the west of the frontier laid down in that Treaty.
§ Mr. PONSONBYHave not the Russian Government protested at their not having been consulted in this matter, and is it the policy of His Majesty's Government, not only to ignore the Russian Government, but to insult them?
§ Mr. McNEILLNo, Sir; I do not think there has been any insult at all.
§ 9. Sir HARRY BRITTAINasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what guarantees have been given by Poland with respect to autonomy in Eastern Galicia; and whether the Ukrainian majority in that territory will possess full rights in dealing with the country's resources, as well as unfettered freedom of trade with the nationals of other lands?
§ Mr. McNEILLThere are no guarantees except that the recent decision of the Ambassadors' Conference, whereby Eastern Galicia became incorporated in the Polish State, was arrived at in view of the fact that Poland had recognised that the special ethnographical conditions of the territory necessitated the establishment of an autonomous régime. Until the Polish Government has applied the proposed measures of autonomy, it is impossible to state the extent of the rights which will be enjoyed by the local population.