Novomejski Concession Opponent Supports French Pre-war Claim in Commons

Amery Says Government Declines to Consider Turkish Dead Sea Grant (Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Col. Bury, persistent opponent to the grant by the British government of the concession for the exploitation of the Dead Sea to the Jewish engineer, Moses Novomejski and his English associate, Major Tulloch, raised the claim of a French company, said to have obtained the concession for the exploitation of the salts from the Turkish government in pre-war days.

Col. Bury asked the Colonial Secretary whether the Colonial Office has considered the question of recognizing the claim of Turkish subjects who had obtained the concession from the Turkish government and whether the case will be submitted for arbitration to the International Court at the Hague.

Col. Amery replied that the British Government has repeatedly declined to consider the claims to concessions granted in pre-war days in territory formerly a part of the Turkish Empire. The question arose recently again when a French company acquired an interest in these concessions. The British Government, he stated, is not legally bound under the terms of the Treaty of Lausanne to recognize such claims.

The French Government, he stated, had made representations in regard to this matter. The matter will not be submitted to The Hague tribunal, since the government is not prepared to modify its attitude in the matter.