7. Lieut.-Colonel Sir ARNOLD WILSONasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement as to the forthcoming arrangements for the impending meeting of the rulers of Persia and Turkey?
§ Sir J. SIMONReports have reached His Majesty's Government that His Imperial Majesty the Shah of Persia may pay an official visit to the President of the Turkish Republic in the course of the summer. The matter is one which falls entirely within the sphere of the two foreign countries concerned and does not concern His Majesty's Government in any way.
§ Sir A. WILSONCan my right hon. Friend say anything which will tend to discourage the publication in this country of statements of a misleading and derogatory character regarding the rulers of these two countries?
§ Sir J. SIMONI deplore no less than my hon. and gallant Friend the appearance of such references to the heads of foreign States with whom His Majesty's Government are on terms of cordial friendship and under whose able leadership those countries have made remarkable progress; but, as he is aware, His Majesty's Government are not in a position to take any action in such cases, and public opinion will no doubt know what value to attach to such references as those to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers.