HC Deb 18 March 1937 vol 321 c2277W
Lieut.-Commander Fletcher

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Belgian Government has made any official or semi-official proposals for a modification of Article i6 of the Covenant of the League of Nations?

Viscount Cranborne

The Belgian Government communicated its views on the application of the principles of the Covenant in a letter to the Secretary-General of the League dated 10th November last. Copies of the League publication containing this document are in the Library of the House.

Lieut.-Commander Fletcher

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the interpretation placed by the British Government upon the words une action commune in the French text of Article 16 of the Covenant of the League of Nations, observing that the English text contains no precise equivalent of these words, while the Belgian Government takes the French text as authoritative, and that a conflict of opinion may therefore arise?

Viscount Cranborne

I do not think that there is any inconsistency between the English and French texts of the passage in question, and both texts are in any case equally authentic.