HC Deb 24 March 1947 vol 435 cc830-1
8. Mr. Bramall

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether General Pirzio-Birolli, the former Italian governor of Dalmatia, is included in the list of persons prepared by U.N.O. War Crimes Commission, against whom a prima facie case has been made out; when the Yugoslav Government applied to the Allied Control Commission for Italy for him to be handed over for trial; whether he was handed over; and where he is today.

Mr. McNeil

The United Nations War Crimes Commission does not wish to make public the names on its lists, and I regret, therefore, that I am not in a position to answer the first two parts of my hon. Friend's Question. Although I have no precise information on the point, I believe that General Birolli is at present living in Rome.

Mr. Bramall

Will my right hon. Friend explain how the reason he has given is a reason for not answering the part of my Question in which I asked when the Jugoslav Government applied to the Allied Control Commission for this man to be handed over?

Mr. McNeil

It is quite plain that if I answered that I should be, by inference, answering the first part, and I must respect the wishes of the Commission.

Mr. Bramall

Does my right hon. Friend really suggest to the House that the fact that the Yugoslav Government have asked for this man's extradition is not public property, known to him and to everybody else?