HC Deb 19 October 1939 vol 352 cc1082-3W
Mr. Harvey

asked the Prime Minister whether the references to aggression by a European Power in the agreement of mutual assistance, signed between the United Kingdom and Poland on 25th August last, were intended to cover the case of aggression by other Powers than Germany, including Russia?

Mr. Butler

No, Sir. During the negotiations which led up to the signature of the agreement, it was understood between the Polish Government and His Majesty's Government that the agreement should only cover the case of aggression by Germany; and the Polish Government confirm that this is so.

Sir R. Glyn

asked the Prime Minister how much territory was added to Poland by action of Polish arms, over and above the area agreed on by the Treaty of Versailles; what were the dates of these acquisitions of territory; from what countries were they taken; and what area does he intend to recognise as the boundary of the Poland whose provisional Government is now being established in France and recognised as the Government of Poland?

Mr. Butler

The Treaty of Versailles did not lay down the area of the Polish State, but dealt only with the frontier between Poland and Germany. Such parts of this frontier as the Treaty did not exactly define were left for determination, after the holding of plebiscites, by the Conference of Ambassadors. The frontier so determined has not been altered by the action of Poland. The other frontiers of Poland were subsequently settled by other international arrangements.

As regards the last part of the question, the present Polish Government is not a provisional Government, but the legal successor of the Government which it replaced. As Polish territory is in foreign occupation, no question of recognising boundaries arises.