HC Deb 10 February 1947 vol 433 cc2-3
1. Mr. Zilliacus

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the recent murder at Poggio Reale, near Naples, of two representatives of the Yugoslav Government visiting a Chetnik camp and the violence offered to Polish official representatives visiting a camp of Polish displaced persons eight months ago, also under British administration, he will now accede to the repeated requests of the Polish and Yugoslav Governments to allow a thorough international investigation of displaced persons' camps in Italy, to make sure that they are not harbouring men wanted on war crime charges.

The Minister of State (Mr. McNeil)

No, Sir.

Mr. Zilliacus

Could my right hon. Friend say, firstly, whether any alternative method of inquiry is on foot; and, secondly, whether he will consider putting under guard as prisoners of war all those individuals and units who fought on the side of the Germans; and if he will deliver up the camp commandant, General Miodrag Damjanovich who has been asked for since December, 1945, as a war criminal because of his having served under the Quisling Serb Premier, Milan Nedich?

Mr. McNeil

I was anxious not to be drawn into any detailed discussion on this question, because there is a committee of inquiry and because it has not been established that anyone has been murdered. Only one man has died, though, of course, His Majesty's Government deeply regret the circumstances of his death. In reply to the first alternative, we are constantly considering what might be done in regard to General Damjanovich, and we are obviously pursuing this matter Secondly, the question of the Yugoslavs who fought with the Germans is being persistently considered. As to alternative methods, we have asked the hon. and gallant Gentleman the Member for Lancaster (Brigadier Maclean) to proceed as the head of a screening commission which is investigating these allied matters, but I must make it plain that it has not been established that war criminals are associated with those happenings to which the Question refers.

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