§ 8. Captain P. MACDONALDasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if any reply has been received by His Majesty's Government to the last Note addressed to the Persian Government in connection with that Government's attiture towards the Anglo-Persian Oil Company?
§ Mr. EDENI will answer this question together with a question which was originally on the Order Paper in the name of my hon. Friend the Member for Wolverhampton East (Mr. Mander), but which he was good enough to defer at my request. The reply of the Persian Government to the Note which was addressed to them on the 8th December was received by his Majesty's Minister. at Teheran on the 12th December. My hon. Friends will by now have seen the summary of it which appeared in this morning's Press. In view of the intimation contained in that reply that the Persian Government contemplate an appeal to the Council of the League, which would result in the Persian Government becoming entitled to require the suspension of any proceedings instituted before the Permanent Court of International Justice at The Hague, His Majesty's Government have decided not to pursue their demand for a reference of the case to the Permanent Court, but instead to refer the matter to the Council of the League under Article 15 of the Covenant. A telegram has accordingly been despatched to the Secretary-General of the League submitting the matter to the Council under that Article.
§ Mr. MANDERCan the hon. Gentleman say whether the Council is likely to deal with the matter rapidly?
§ Mr. EDENWe have only just sent the application. Naturally, we hope it will be dealt with very soon.
§ Captain MACDONALDis my hon. Friend satisfied that the Council is competent to deal with this matter
§ Mr. DENVILLEDoes the hon. Gentle man think that the Government are capable of dealing with this question?
§ The following question stood upon thee Order Paper in the name of Colonel WEDGWOOD:
§ 25. To ask the Under-Secretary of State for Air, whether the Anglo-Persian Oil Company's police or officials at the wells can communicate freely with our Air Force in Iraq; and whether the Air Force in Iraq is in a position to defend if necessary, our property in Persia.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODIt is unnecessary to ask this question.