HC Deb 11 March 1943 vol 387 c883W
Dr. Little

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will warn, in the strongest terms, all neutral countries against purchasing looted diamonds and other articles of value seized by the Germans from occupied countries as strict measures will be taken after the war to have these restored to their rightful owners?

Mr. Law

As explained in a reply to my hon. Friend the Member for South Kensington (Sir W. Davison) on 19th January, the attitude of His Majesty's Government towards all forms of plundering by the enemy in the occupied countries has been made clear by the Inter-Allied Declaration which was published on 5th January last (Command Paper No. 6418). This Declaration included a formal warning which was particularly addressed to persons in neutral countries, that the Governments making the Declaration intended to do their utmost to defeat the method of dispossession practised by the enemy governments. The Declaration was officially communicated immediately before its publication to the governments of all neutral countries, and my right hon. Friend does not think that any further action is called for at present.