" ملف رقم ١٣٥٦ لسنة ١٩١٢ الجزء ٢ "الحدود التركية-الفارسية:- مفاوضات في القسطنطينية. (حدود المحمرة)" [ظ‎‎١‎٤‎٦] (٦٨٠/٣٠١)

4. The abolition, in principle, of foreign post
o ffices in Turkey; and, pending their
abolition r the sale of Ottoman stamps.
Though certain Powers have, His Majesty’s
Government are well aware, given a conditional
assent to the abolition of their respective post
offices in Turkey, the question-is one in which it
is impossible for His Majesty’s Government to
dissociate themselves from the collective action
of the Powers. They are, however, prepared,
subject to the assent of other Powers to a similar
step, to agree to the abolition of British post
offices in principle, on the understanding that no-
such abolition shall be effected until they are
satisfied that the Ottoman postal administration
affords adequate guarantees of security and
promptitude in transmission of correspondence.
His Majesty’s Government have no primd facie
objection to the sale of Turkish instead of British
stamps ; but it would be necessary to surcharge
the stamps used in the British post offices, and
the technical details would have to be submitted
to careful expert examination so as to avoid
difficulties of accountancy and interference with
the British local administration. If the other
Powers concerned agreed to a similar change in
principle, His Majesty’s Government would be
prepared to appoint a delegate to enquire whether
the change is practicable.
5. To study the question of the abolition of
the Capitidations.
As the Imperial Ottoman Government are
aware, His Majesty’s Government have con
sistently maintained that, inter alia, their right
to veto the increase of taxation on British subjects
and merchandise is derived from the capitulations,
and this right they are not prepared to abandon.
Pending the introduction of drastic reforms in
the Turkish judicial administration, His Majesty’s
Government feel that, it would be somewhat
premature even to study the possibility of abolish-
thecapitulations. None the less, they are prepared,,
if the other Powers agree to such a course, to
appoint representatives to examine how far the
existing conditions under the capitulations are-
capable of improvement.