HC Deb 07 March 1945 vol 408 cc1998-9
7. Professor Savory

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is aware that persons of Polish nationality form, according to the census of 1931, a majority of the inhabitants of the city of Tarnopol; and what steps the Allies are proposing to take in order to safeguard the rights of the Polish majority in this city as well as those in the cities of Vilna and Lvov.

Mr. Eden

The Polish census of 1931 did not give separate population figures for the city of Tarnopol. The figures for the whole province of Tarnopol showed that neither by language nor by religion were the Poles in an absolute majority, though they did form a majority in the urban areas as a whole. The Poles in this area have under the agreement concluded in September, 1944, between the Lublin Committee and the Government of the Ukrainian republic of the U.S.S.R. the same right as those in other parts of Eastern Galicia to transfer to the West of the Curzon Line.

Professor Savory

If the right hon. Gentleman will look up the figures again, he will find that in the city of Tarnopol the Poles have an absolute majority of 77 per cent., and a similar majority in the administrative district of Tarnopol. Further, will he put in a word for the thousands of Poles, Ukrainians and White Ruthenjans who have been arrested and deported to unknown destinations?

Mr. Eden

I am dealing with the last part of the question in another answer. One of the reasons why we were so anxious that these conversations in Moscow should proceed and reach a conclusion was in order that this situation, and reports of various kinds, may be finally checked and, I trust, the situation disposed of. I believe I have given accurate figures but I will check them again.

Mr. Price

Do not those figures include Jews and Greek Catholics as well as Polish Roman Catholics?

Mr. Eden

I do not know. I did not quote the figures.

Professor Savory

No.