§ LORD NEWTONMy Lords, may I ask the noble Marquess the Deputy Leader of the House whether the statement which appears in the newspapers to-day that diplomatic relations with Greece have been broken off is correct, and, if so, whether it means that diplomatic relations have been entirely suspended, or that His Majesty's Minister at Athens has been withdrawn as a mark of disapproval of recent events in Greece.
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYMy Lords, I hesitate to give an exact technical description of what has happened, but undoubtedly diplomatic relations in the broad sense of the word have been broken off, and His Majesty's Minister has left Athens under conditions much as have been described by the noble Lord; that is, in order to mark the disapproval of His Majesty's Government. The affairs of this country are in the hands of a Commission, not in the hands of the Minister himself.
§ House adjourned during pleasure.
§ House resumed.