HL Deb 10 December 1935 vol 99 cc164-6WA
LORD LLOYD

asked whether the Great Hanish Islands in the Red Sea are in the occupation of Great Britain. If not, in whose occupation are these islands, and how long have they been so occupied.

THE UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (EARL STANHOPE)

Thestatus of the Great Hanish group of islands remains indeterminate under Article 16 of the Treaty of Lausanne, the first paragraph of which reads: Turkey hereby renounces all rights and title whatsoever over or respecting the territories situated outside the frontiers laid down in the present Treaty and the islands other than those over which her sovereignty is recognised by the said Treaty, the future of these territories and islands being settled or to be settled by the parties concerned. A small Italian armed post was established on each of the two principal islands of the Great Hanish group in December, 1929, in order to protect natives of Eritrea fishing in those waters. In 1931 the Italian Government, in response to a request from His Majesty's Government, gave a satisfactory assurance that the establishment of Italian posts in these islands did not involve or constitute any claim to sovereignty over the islands themselves.

House adjourned at twenty-five minutes before seven o'clock.