RUSSIAN TREATY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 125, 19 February 1908, Page 7

RUSSIAN TREATY.

DEBATE IN THE COMMONS. ; FOREiCN MINISTER'S DEFENCE. PERSIAN GULF. 1 POSITION OP INDIA. BIT TELEOHAm —PRESS-ASSOCIATION; —COPYP.EGHT. : (Rec. Feb. 18, 10.44 p.m;) London, February 18. In tlio llouso of Commons, Earl Percy (Conservative) moved: —"That whilo welcoming tlio principle of the Ariglo-Kussian Convention, the Houso - considers' that , the terms involvo a matevjal.,saqrifico.,pf British interests, and leave- room for international misunderstanding,". '" - Sir Edward Grey, Minister for Foreign Affairs, in a masterly.reply,- declared that'the, agreement made the'peace of the world more secure. 110 denied..that Britain had sacrificed great commercial,prospects,in' Persia. Ho admitted that/strategic considerations had been paramount with the Government, nnd declared that (fanner to India through Persia was - now verjy. remote. , Tho Minister explained that if a special provision had been 'inserted respecting tho Persian Gulf, it could-only havo affected the Persian side of tho , Gulf,; whereas in tho future probably the Mesopotamian-sido would be the more important. 1 . ... '• Tho right of tho Ameex to'deyelbp stan as ho pleased wasj'Mid tlio Minister, not restricted. The British position in Tibet remained unaltered. ' ! ' Mr. Balfour, Leader of' the''Opposition,; Jdeclared that the Government had not scored a great diplomatic success,; though -lie! admitted that it would- 1 bo - a strategic- gain if: the agreement prevented Seistau becoming a baso for attacking India.' ;•/.. ' ,; The Sebretary for India, Mr. JohnMorloy, described the Convention as a most momentous instrument in connection with tho defence of India. ■ ," 1 The motion was eventually withdrawn.