§ Lieut.-Colonel Sir SAMUEL HOARE (by Private Notice)asked the Prime Minister whether he can give the House 2 any information with reference to the Turkish incursions into Iraq; whether there has been any British casualties; what part the Kurds are taking; and what is being done to protect the Assyrian Christians from outrage?
§ Colonel GRETTON (by Private Notice)asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if the armed Turkish forces which invaded the district of Mosul have withdrawn, if fighting has taken place between the regular forces of the Turkish Government and any British forces stationed in Iraq, and, if so, whether a state of war exists; and if the Turkish forces, either regular or irregular, have not withdrawn, what steps This Majesty's Government has taken to deal with the situation?
The SECRETARY of STATE for the COLONIES (Mr. Thomas)I have received private notice of two questions on the subject of the position on the Iraq frontier, and with the permission of the House I will make a brief statement covering what has happened there since the House rose. I wish to make it quite clear, at the outset, that there is no question of a state of war existing between this country and Turkey. What has happened is that certain Turkish military movements have taken place on the frontiers of Iraq which His Majesty's 3 Government claim to have been disturbances of the status quo, which both Governments were pledged by the Treaty of Lausanne to observe pending a decision on the frontier question. The British authorities in Iraq, who had learnt that movements of this nature were in contemplation, sent a serious warning on the 12th September to the nearest Turkish authorities. In spite of this Turkish regular and irregular forces began crossing the frontier on the 14th September. Air action was taken against the invaders and a small party were driven back across the frontier, but further encroachments took place and Iraq police and levy posts consequently had to fall back. Three British casualties have been reported—wounded, not seriously. The Kurds have made no movement, so far as I am aware. The Assyrian Christians, to a number estimated at about 6,000, have fled from their homes, which are in a small area to the north of the Mosul Vilayet, which His Majesty's Government claim to have been outside the sphere of Turkish influence at the date of the signature of the Treaty of Lausanne. Their homes have been destroyed and they have taken refuge in Iraq. A series of protests has been made to the Turkish Government against these infringements of the frontier, and the British authorities in Iraq have been authorised to take all necessary action, in order to prevent invasion or infiltration by Turkish forces of a nature to entail serious unrest and bloodshed. These movements are all the more deplorable because the frontier question is actually under discussion at this moment by the Council of the League of Nations. His Majesty's Government have informed the Council that they regard these events as a circumstance affecting international relations and threatening to disturb the good understanding between nations upon which peace depends, and have formally brought them to the attention of the Council, as provided for by Article XI of the Covenant of the League of Nations. They have also requested the Turkish Government to issue immediate orders to the local Turkish Commander to withdraw all Turkish forces from the Mosul Vilayet, and from the small area to the north of it described above. This request was telegraphed Constantinople on Saturday, and no reply has yet been 4 received. The local authorities report that the situation, from a military point of view, is well in hand.
§ Sir S. HOAREHave the Turkish Government given any answer to the protest which the Government have made, and, if so, what?