HC Deb 19 April 1939 vol 346 c339
3. Mr. Ammon

asked the Prime Minister why instructions were given to refuse entry on the passport of the Assyrian Patriarch of Iraq and Syria, thereby depriving him of the right to visit his people settled in those countries?

The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Butler)

There is no question of His Majesty's Government placing any restrictions upon the movements of the Assyrian Patriarch. Visas are, however, required by the Governments concerned in the case of all visitors to Syria and Iraq, and His Beatitude has been informed that his passport cannot be endorsed for either country until he is in a position to show that such authorities are, in fact, prepared to grant him a visa.

Mr. Ammon

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that I have a copy of a letter stating that instructions were given by the British Foreign Office to refuse these visas?

Mr. Butler

I think that the question of visas is one for the countries concerned, in the first place.

Mr. Hannah

Have we fulfilled our obligations to the Assyrians?