§ 24. Lieut. - Colonel HOWARD - BURYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can explain the discrepancy between various recent official statements as to the date at which the nine months' period allowed for the negotiations between this country and Turkey on the subject of Mosul terminates; if he is aware that, according to Article 7 of Protocol XIV, the period of nine months should start from the date on which the negotiations commence; and whether he can state if this date was some time in October, 1923, and that the case will, therefore, have to be referred to the League of Nations some time next month or, if not, what are the correct dates?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI regret that a mistake was made in replying to the supplementary questions arising out of the hon. and gallant Member's question on the 17th instant. The reply to the second part of his question of to-day is in the affirmative. The negotiations began on the 5th October, 1923, by a Note addressed to the Turkish Government. The nine months' period in question will, therefore, terminate on the 5th July next.