§ 44. Mr. HORE-BELISHAasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can make any statement regarding the recent conversation in Paris on the reparations question?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe recent conversation which I had with Monsieur Poincaré, and the conversations which I have subsequently had with representatives of the Belgian, German, Italian and Japanese Governments; arose out of the decision taken at Geneva during September by the Belgian, British, French, German, Italian and Japanese Governments to set up a committee of financial experts to make recommendations for a complete and final settlement of the reparations problem. During these conversations I have made it clear that His Majesty's Government would welcome a final settlement of reparations, provided that this country continues to receive enough from Allied Debts and reparations together to cover our External Debt payments. I am glad to say that the conversations have not revealed any disagreement in principle between the 218 Governments concerned. No final decisions lave yet been reached as to the personnel and date and place of meeting of the committee, but I hope that all these preliminary questions will be settled, and the committee constituted, without any long delay. Perhaps I ought to say that it ought not to be inferred that the German Government accept the full implications of the view which we take a the present time. I did not mean my statement to include them. Obviously in a matter of this kind there are two sides to every question.
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAMay I ask whether the Reparations settlement is bound up with the question of the evacuation of the Rhine Territory?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLNo, that is a separate but also a desirable object.