BRITAIN'S PROMISE TO FRANCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 298, 9 May 1913, Page 8

BRITAIN'S PROMISE TO FRANCE.

QUESTION OF SENDING TBOOPS ABROAD. NEW STATEMENT BY MR. ASQUITH.London, March 89. A statement of the extremest importance regarding the obligations of this country to give France, military assistance on the Continent in the event of a European war was made by Mr. Asquith in the House of Commons on Monday, Sir William Bylea asked "Whether this ' < country is under any, and if. jfo what, ' obligation to France-.to'send force in certain contingencies tVoporci'te''' 1 ' in Europe; and if so, what are the limit* ' of our agreements whethqr bjr assurance ,; or treaty with the French nation!" Mr. Joseph King also asked: "Whether the foreign policy of this country is at the present time unhampered by any treaties, agreements or obligations witter whieh British military forces w,ould .'a certain eventualities be called upon to be landed on the Continent and join there in military operations V The Prime Minister made,the following reply to these questions:— "As has been repeatedly stated, jlhe "^., country is not under any obligation not public and known to Parliament which compels it to take part in any war. In other words, if war arises between European Powers, there are no unpublUiic* agreements which will restrict or hamper the freedom of the Government or of' Parliament to decide whether or n.ifc Great Britain shall participate in a war. "The use that would be made of thai naval or military forces, if the Govern* ment and Parliament deoided to take part in a war. is, for obvious reasons*, not a matter about which public state ments ran be made beforehand. (Ministerial cheers).' THE PREVIOUS STATEMENT: Mr. Asquith's statement, by indicitittgthat military support would be givon to France in certain circumstances, wilt g» some way to attenuate the unfortmute impression produced abroad by hfe brief and incomplete answer to a question casually asked by Lord Hugh Cfcil' oa March 10, when the following' paeiap took placesLord Hugh Cecil: There is a very general belief that this country is under ah obligation, not a treaty obßgation, but an obligation arising out of an assurance given by the Ministry ra the course of diplomatic negotiations, to send a very large armed force out of the country W operate in Europe. That is the general , belief. K«| Mr. Asquith: I ought to say that it fa not true. ' The answer given by Mr. Asquith on that occasion was misleading from tta brevity, and did not make clear the fact that, in the event of an unprovoked i.ttack upon France, the British Government and Parliament would support her with all the nation's force. But while the Government and, Parliament must decide when the occasion arises two essential facts remain: (I) That in certain eventualities naval control of the Mediterranean cannot be secured withoujt the'assistance oJEranw; and (2) that by Article 9 of,the Moronoo Declaration, published in 1904 and known to all the world, "the two Governments (British and French) agree to afford one another their diplomatic support in order to obtain the execution of the clauses of the present Declaration regarding Egypt and Morocco." ... "Diplomatic support" in this Article was clearly understood at the time to cover military and naval support, »nd upon that interpretation past British Governments acted in 1905, 1906, 1908 • and 1911, when the position of France in Morocco was challenged. '.'.'.■'