§ 20. Mr. Noel-Bakerasked the Prime Minister whether any time limit has been laid down within which the Anglo-Italian Treaty must be ratified?
§ The Prime MinisterThe agreement is not made subject to ratification. As the House will have seen from the text of the Agreement (published as Italy, Treaty Series No. 31 (1938), Cmd. 5726), it is provided in the body of the Protocol that its annexed instruments shall be brought into force on such a date as the two Governments shall together determine. The letters exchanged, however, at the same time (Nos. 10, 11 and 12 in the published text), and the Bon Voisinage Agreement which appears on page 32 of the published text, came into operation upon signature.
§ Mr. Noel-BakerDo we understand that no date has been fixed for the coming into force of those parts which are not yet in force?
§ The Prime MinisterThat is so.
§ Mr. Noel-BakerSo that, if Italian troops remain in Spain for another year, we shall still ratify the Treaty?
Mr. AlexanderIs it intended to proceed with the recognition of the Italian conquest of Abyssinia immediately after the Council of the League?
§ The Prime MinisterAs we are going to debate this very subject this afternoon, it might be well to await the discussion?
Mr. AlexanderMight we have an assurance from the Prime Minister that he will see that that point is dealt with?
§ The Prime MinisterI shall be dealing with it in my speech.