§ Sir J. D. REESasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Anglo-Russian Convention confers upon His Majesty's Government any right to object to the number of Russian officers employed with the Persian troops, known as Cossacks, to the use by Russian Consular authorities of such Persian Cossacks 1143W as Consular guards, to the impounding of £42,000 by the Russian authorities, to any increase in the number of the Persian troops known as Cossacks, to the collection of taxes in Azerbaijan by Russian officials, and to the withdrawal by the Belgian Government of Belgian officials employed in Persia; and, if not, will he say by what treaty, instrument, agreement, or capitulation any authority to interfere with the Russian, Belgian, and Persian Governments in regard to such matters is conferred upon His Majesty's Government?
§ Sir E. GREYThe Anglo-Russian Convention of 1907 was published at the time of its signature, and the hon. Member must place his own construction upon its terms. It would be safer to base communications with the Russian Government upon some of the points referred to rather upon the general interest that both countries have in Persia than upon any particular clause in a treaty.