§ 11. Mr. N. BUXTONasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, having regard to the fact that the League of Nations has referred to the Council of Ambassadors Bulgaria's protest respecting the persecution of minorities in Western Thrace, His Majesty's Government agrees with the statement of the League of Nations to the effect that Western Thrace is under the protection of the Allied Powers; and, if so, what instructions His Majesty's Government is prepared to give to its representative on the Council of Ambassadors with a view to promoting the maintenance of order in Western Thrace?
§ Mr. McNEILLIt is true that under the Treaty of Neuilly Western Thrace was transferred to the Allied and Associated Powers. Under the subsequent Treaty of 10th August, 1920, the territory was, however, assigned by the Powers to Greece, and the Greek authorities have since that date administered the territory with the full approval of the Powers. This latter Treaty has not yet been ratified, but His Majesty's Government do not consider that the present juridical status of Western Thrace imposes upon them an effectual responsibility for the administration of that territory. The Greek Government are understood to be doing their best to maintain order in the country and to restrict the activities of the Bulgarian bands on the northern frontier. They have given an assurance that the deportations which have been necessitated by the present situation will not be permanent and that the deportees will be repatriated. His Majesty's representative on the Ambassadors' Conference 2324 will therefore be instructed to confine his efforts to taking note of the assurances of the Greek Government, and to pointing out the desirability of taking early action to conform the de jure to the de facto status of the country.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYHave we any representatives or consuls in Western Thrace who can see things for themselves and report?
§ Mr. McNEILLThe hon. and gallant Member must give me notice of that question and then I can give him the names of our representatives there. I have already made one statement in answer to a similar question.
§ Colonel Sir CHARLES YATEHas Bulgaria free access to Western Thrace?
§ Mr. McNEILLI cannot say. This is one of the questions coming before the Lausanne Conference, and I cannot give a reply in answer to a supplementary question.