§ VISCOUNT MIDLETONMay I ask the noble Earl the Leader of the House whether he is in a position to make a statement to us with regard to the Conference that has been going on for the last few days?
§ EARL CURZON OF KEDLESTONYes, my Lords, I can make a brief statement on what has happened. At the meetings which took place at Downing-street of representatives of France, Italy, the United States, Japan, and Great Britain on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of last week, important discussions took place on the conclusion of peace with Turkey and Hungary as to arrangements for future, sittings of the Peace Conference, and as to the ratification of the Treaties already concluded and the execution of their clauses. The economic and financial situation was examined in detail. In order to remedy the fall in the exchange prejudicial to the two nations, the British Government agreed to the issue of a French Loan in England, the date, the amount, and the conditions of which will be fixed by agreement between the two Governments. The Russian situation was also taken fully into consideration, and on this, as on all other questions, the Allies were in complete agreement. The decisions taken on this question were in complete accordance with the policy already announced to the House of Commons. It was decided to resume the Allied Conference at an early date which would be convenient for the attendance of the Prime Ministers and Foreign Secretaries of France, Italy, and Great Britain, and the representatives of the United States and Japan, in order to formulate the proposals for the Treaty with Turkey, and finally to dispose of the difficulties arising out of the sitnation in the Adriatic.