§ Mr. RILEYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his 1417W attention has been drawn to the proposal made at the Assembly of the League of Nations that a Minorities Commission be constituted, on the analogy of the Permanent Mandate Commission, and also to the acceptance of this proposal by the Foreign Minister of Poland on the understanding that all States with national minorities should be bound by the same obligations in the matter; and whether he will give consideration to the suggestions in order that His Majesty's Government may have a considered policy on the matter by the time of the next Assembly?
Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSONA suggestion that such a body might be constituted was mentioned by the Netherlands Minister for Foreign Affairs in the course of the general discussion on the work of the Council. Monsieur Belaerts clearly stated that be was making no proposal. Further, I can hardly agree with the hon. Member's interpretation of the speech made by the Polish Foreign Minister. What he actually said was
If all States members of the League are prepared to adhere to a general convention to that effect, I am sure there will be no objection to a Permanent Minorities Commission. But if in the desire to improve the present system for the protection of minorities you attempt too much, you may achieve a diametrically opposite result and destroy the system altogether.I am not aware that there is any intention of reviving the matter in any more concrete form.