§ Mr. SWIFT MacNEILLasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether a telegram has been received at the Foreign Office from the Porte, calling attention to the killing of numerous non-combatant Arabs in the oasis of Tripoli by the Italian soldiery, as stated in a communication to the Porte received from Reschab Bey, commander of the Turkish forces in Tripoli; if so, what reply has 2044W been given to this telegram; and whether any representations have been made to the Italian Government in respect to the alleged indiscriminate massacre of the native population in Tripoli by the Italian soldiery in consequence of the order of General Caneva authorising the troops to shoot all Arabs who could reasonably be suspected of having borne arms against the Italians?
§ Sir E. GREYI have received communications from the Turkish Ambassador on this subject. With regard to the attitude of His Majesty's Government, I would repeat what I said to the hon. Member for the Colne Valley on the 2nd inst., namely: The military operations of the Italian Government in Tripoli are a matter in which His Majesty's Government cannot interfere, and any other attitude would not be consistent with the Declaration of Neutrality that they have issued.