§ 45. Mr. JOHNSTONasked the Prime Minister whether he is prepared to lay papers before Parliament relating to the conversations and arrangements made with Italy early in the year 1919 for the occupation of the territory of the Republic of Georgia?
Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSONI have been asked to reply. The hon. Member is presumably referring to some discussions which took place at the time of the Peace Conference about the possible relief of British troops in the Caucasus by Italian troops. The matter was dealt with largely in informal conversations, of which no record exists, and ended in nothing.
§ Mr. JOHNSTONHas the attention of the hon. Gentleman been drawn to the statements made by Signor Nitti, the late Prime Minister of Italy, in a book republished in this country last week, wherein he states definitely and as a positive fact that the Entente countries urged the Italian Government in 1918 and the beginning of 1919 to invade and 1482 seize the territory of the Republic of Georgia, and that he, Signor Nitti, scrapped those arrangements?
Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSONThe hon. Gentleman is, of course, aware of the fact that the conversations referred to were conversations carried on by the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Carnarvon Boroughs (Mr. Lloyd George). The hon. Gentleman has written a letter to the Foreign Office in which he mentions this book, but we have not seen the book yet, and, therefore, have not had the opportunity of studying this particular matter.
§ Mr. JOHNSTONIs it the case that the present Government have got no record of these incitements to the Italian Government by the right hon. Member for Carnarvon Boroughs?
Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSONNo. I understand that these were practically conversations which were not embodied in any document. Therefore, if one gave any information at all with regard to them, it, would probably be very partial and misleading.
§ Mr. JOHNSTONIf I hand the hon. Gentleman a copy of the book, and put down a further question on the subject for next week, will he be able to give me a fuller answer?