§ 10. Sir Alfred Beitasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the fact that the Soviet Government does not maintain diplomatic representatives in Finland, Bulgaria, Roumania and Hungary, he has any information how Russia is represented in them.
§ Mr. LawThe Control Commissions in Finland, Bulgaria, Rumania and Hungary being under the general direction of the Soviet High Command, the Soviet Presidents and the Soviet elements of the Commissions represent the U.S.S.R. in those countries.
§ Sir A. BeitDid not my right hon. Friend inform me last week that this country had political representatives, apart from the Allied Control Commission, in these countries? I want to ascertain whether any similar representation is maintained by Russia.
§ Mr. LawNo, Sir. The Soviet are only represented on the Control Commission, As I told my hon. Friend, we have political representatives as well.
§ Sir A. BeitDoes that mean that the Control Commission has some sort of political and diplomatic status?
§ Mr. LawNo, Sir. It is the function of the Control Commission to supervise the execution of the armistice. Our purpose in having political representatives too, is additional to that, and to look after British interests generally in those countries.