2. Mr. Astorasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can give an assurance that the Greek inhabitants of the Dodecanese islands will on their liberation be treated as Greeks and allies and not as Italian citizens.
§ Mr. LawThe post-war status of the Dodecanese cannot be decided now, and the formal position of the inhabitants will have to await this settlement. There is, of course, no question of maintaining or re-imposing Italian administration during the interim period before the future of the islands has been decided.
Mr. AstorWhile realising that the postwar settlement cannot be prejudiced, will the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that these people will, in the meantime, be treated as they are, loyal Greeks and friends of Great Britain?
§ Mr. LawI can certainly give my hon. Friend the assurance that after liberation, and pending the settlement, the inhabitants of the islands will not be treated as enemies or as ex-enemies but as friends.
§ Mr. Godfrey NicholsonCan my right hon. Friend say whether he regards the Dodecanese as former Italian colonies, or as part of metropolitan Italy?