HC Deb 21 June 1944 vol 401 cc167-8
11. Lieut.-Colonel Sir Thomas Moore

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is now in a position to make a further statement regarding the passage of German naval ships through the Dardanelles by permission or with the acquiescence of the Turkish Government.

Mr. Eden

Yes, Sir. The Turkish Government have given orders that passage of all K.T. and Ems type vessels through the Straits shall be refused in future. Furthermore, all German merchant vessels which arrive in the Straits will henceforth be carefully examined to establish whether they are in fact merchant vessels. Assurances to this effect have been given both to His Majesty's Ambassador at Angora and publicly in an official Turkish communiqué. I should like to take this op- portunity to express the satisfaction felt by His Majesty's Government with this action by the Turkish Government.

Sir T. Moore

While congratulating my hon. Friend on his further success, may I ask him whether we may assume that our Ally and others now recognise that an alliance with Britain is a privilege, but involves fulfilling obligations as well as receiving benefits?

Mr. Eden

That is a wide definition which I should rather like to look at. On the face of it, it sounds rather good to me.