"ملف رقم ١٣٥٦ لسنة ١٩١٢ الجزء ١ "الحدود التركية-الفارسية:- مفاوضات في القسطنطينية." [ظ‎‎٤‎٣‎٥] (٨٨٥/٨٨٠)

6
wrote :—“ The facts as traced and recorded by
yon amply justify the conviction that has always
possessed me, that if practical results are to be
obtained .... arbitration must be conceded to
supersede mediation for the determination of
final issues not otherwise reconcilable. Even so,
the proposed change must still fail of effect
unless fortified by preliminary agreements, *
recognising the neutrality of a well-defined zone
—say that of 1869 (viz., that of the identic
map) . . . .”
No one was more intimately acquainted with
the Turco-Persian frontier question in all its
complicated aspects than Sir Arnold Kemball.
It is apparent from the above enumeration of
views that an attempt at Anglo-Russian mediation
would be futile, foredoomed to failure, and
possibly harmful in its effects.
It remains to consider whether any means can
be devised for inducing the Porte to agree to
some form of arbitration at Constantinople:
Turkey has now agreed to submit the whole
question to the Hague Tribunal, and there seems
no primd facie reason why, such being the case,
she should object to the less costly procedure of
a Mixed Commission of Arbitration at Constanti
nople, especially since, in any case, even if the
dispute goes to the Hague, Anglo - Russian
influence cannot be entirely excluded, inasmuch
as the support of the two Powers is essential to
enable Persia to state a case at all.
It is indeed hardly conceivable that Turkey
would abandon her interests to the absolute and
uncontrolled arbitral decision of Russia in this
question ; much less in fact now than in the past,
since Russia is a by no means disinterested party.
But it might be possible to induce Turkey, and at
any rate worth trying to induce her, to agree to
the arbitration of a Mixed Commission, composed
of Russian and British Delegates (who might be
members of the two Embassies), and of three
other Delegates of legal standing nominated by
minor European Powers. I think it is undesir
able that a French Delegate should be proposed,
owing to the special political relation in which
France stands to Russia : it is of course important,
if the Mixed Commission is to be accepted by
Turkey, in lieu of the Hague Tribunal, that it
should, apart from Anglo-Russian participation,
ns far as possible be judicial as distinct from
political in constitution.