HC Deb 13 July 1931 vol 255 cc13-4
20. Captain EDEN

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will state what communications have passed between the Government and the League of Nations Union with respect to the memorandum of the latter addressed to the Mandates Commission on behalf of the Iraq minorities; and whether the Government now propose to make representations on their own account to the Mandates Commission on behalf of these minorities?

Mr. A. HENDERSON

The hon. and gallant Member no doubt refers to a letter, which I recently addressed to the chairman of the League of Nations Union, deprecating the action of the union in sending to the Permanent Mandates Commission of the League of Nations a memorandum which had been prepared without any prior consultation with His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. This memorandum was only communicated to the Foreign Office after its despatch to Geneva, and, in the considered opinion of His Majesty's Government, it could only seriously injure the cause it was intended to serve. I felt sure it had been sent without a full realisation of the facts of the situation, or of its probable effects. As regards the second part of the question, the Permanent Mandates Commission are fully alive to the importance of the question of the minorities in Iraq, and have recently given it careful consideration. In these circumstances His Majesty's Government are of opinion that it would be both unnecessary and improper for them to address any representations to the commission on the subject.

Captain CAZALET

Who will be directly responsible for protecting the rights of these minorities, seeing that we shall be the only people with the available force to right their wrongs?

Mr. HENDERSON

That is when the mandate has terminated?

Captain CAZALET

Yes.

Mr. HENDERSON

They will be in the same position as in any other country.

Mr. HANNON

Will the right hon. Gentleman suggest to the League of Nations Union that communications of this kind should not again take place without consultation with the Foreign Office?

Mr. HENDERSON

I think that the action I have taken is very appropriate.

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