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                  #680, Nineteenth, from London             
 
                                                            
 
 
Mr. Cocks: Does the Right Honorable Gentleman deny my statement 
           about what happened at 4:30 on 1st December?     
 
                                                            
 
 
Mr. Eden: I really cannot. (Interruption) I could not hear 
                 what the Honorable Member said.            
 
      Mr. Cocks: Does the Right Honorable Gentleman deny what I say 
                          on column 476?                    
 
                                                            
 
 
The Chairman (Major Milner): The Honorable Member has had 
      his reply. I heard the Right Honorable Gentleman say he could 
                     not answer the question.               
 
                                                            
 
 
Mr. Eden: Now I want to come to the present position and to 
      the matter of hostages and to General Plastiras' position. Some 
      Honorable Members do not seem quite to understand why we spoke 
      with such strength in condemnation of hostages. It was then suggested 
      that the Greek Government have themselves arrested a number of 
      people in Athens. I want to clear that up. As far as the arrests 
      that we have made are concerned a decision has been taken as 
      the result of agreement between General Scobie and the Greek 
      Government that all civilians arrested by British forces for 
      bearing arms against us should be released with the exception 
      of those who will be exchanged to fulfill the terms of the agreement 
      reached with them. As far as arrests by the Greek Government 
      are concerned it has already been made clear that prosecutions 
      will only be instituted against those who have violated the penal 
      code or the rules of war on charges