§ Mr. LEACHasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is in a position to report on the question of the proposed oil sanctions against Italy?
Mr. V. ADAMSasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he intends to propose to our fellow members of the Council of the League of Nations an embargo upon the imports of oil into the guilty State in the dispute between Italy and the League of Nations?
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§ Mr. EDENOn 18th March my Noble Friend explained, in reply to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, East (Mr. Mander) that the future proceedings of the Committee of Eighteen, in whose competence this question lies, must largely be guided by the results of the then impending meeting of the Committee of Thirteen. At that subsequent meeting it was decided, as my Noble Friend informed the hon. Member for Dewsbury (Mr. Riley) on 25th March, that the President of the Committee of Thirteen, assisted by the Secretary-General of the League, should get into touch with the two parties and take such steps as might be called for in order that the committee might be able, as soon as possible, to bring the two parties together, and, within the framework of the League of Nations and in the spirit of the Covenant, to bring about the prompt cessation of hostilities and the final restoration of peace. The President has, I understand, been actively engaged on this task. At the same time recent events have made it clearly desirable that the Committee of Thirteen should be called together without delay. His Majesty's Government have made known that this is their view to the Chairman of the Committee of Thirteen and to the Secretary-General within the last few days. I am glad to say that the committee has now been summoned for Wednesday. Upon its decisions will depend the convocation of the Committee of Eighteen which can be called together at short notice.