§ 39. Mr. PONSONBYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the protracted delay in the negotiations between the capitulary Powers and the Egyptian Government for the transfer of certain powers from the Consular Courts in Egypt, and in view of the fact that His Majesty's Government has repeatedly affirmed its sympathy with the objects desired by the Egyptian 2062 Government in these negotiations, His Majesty's Government, by virtue of its peculiar responsibilities in Egypt, is prepared to consider the advisability of summoning a conference of the capitulary Powers with a view to securing the transfer be the mixed Courts or to the Egyptian Courts of trials for offences connected with the traffic in women and children and with drug traffic?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir Austen Chamberlain)No, Sir. In view of the status of Egypt, it is not for His Majesty's Government to take the initiative in summoning a conference. On the other hand, they have already declared—in reply to an invitation from the Egyptian Government—that they are ready to be represented at a conference to discuss the points mentioned by the hon. Gentleman.