§ 5. Sir A. KNOXasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will publish for the information of the House the correspondence between the Foreign Office and His Majesty's Ambassador at Moscow regarding the payment of Russian pre-War debts and the payment of the sums due to the Lena Goldfields Company?
§ Sir J. SIMONNo, Sir. The correspondence with His Majesty's Ambassador has little bearing on the subject of Russian pre-War debts, as this matter was dealt with by the joint Anglo-Soviet committees which sat in London. As regards the Lena Goldfields Company, I am confident that it would not be of assistance to the company to adopt the course suggested.
§ Sir W. DAVISONIs my right hon. Friend aware that, when the negotiations in London to which he has referred ended, the Soviet Government had refused to define their attitude on the matter? May the House not be told whether the Soviet Government still refuse to define their attitude and whether the British cash and property which have been taken by them are not to receive compensation?
§ Sir J. SIMONMy hon. Friend will see that the question I have been answering has to do with communications between the Foreign Office and His Majesty's Ambassador at Moscow. I do not think the matter put to me now would be touched by that.
§ Sir A. KNOXIs not the Ambassador at Moscow being urged to represent the state of affairs? Has not correspondence on the subject taken place with the Ambassador at Moscow?
§ Sir J. SIMONI informed the House yesterday that I was in actual communi- 1884 cation with the Ambassador on the subject.
§ Sir A. KNOXIs it impossible to publish the correspondence?
§ Sir J. SIMONIt is not usually a wise course of procedure to publish, for everyone to read, a despatch at the moment when it is being sent to our country's representative abroad.