ملف 1880/1904 الجزء الأول "الحدود الفارسية-الأفغانية: - تحكيم سيستان." [ظ‎‎٢‎١] (٥٢٠/٤٧)

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Has Goyernment definitely decided that under no future circumstances will
Persia be allowed water for irrigation of Hauzdar tract, even if such be found
by Afghans reopening Tarakun canal system ? Persia will ^ be certain to raise
this question when my award is delivered, and therefore it is well to consider it
now. Unless something to the contrary is placed on record in a letter to the
Amir, Afghans will be justified in contending hereafter that the present award
precludes any further reopening of water question. I cannot help thinking that
Government, although desirous to avoid giving Persia any reason for thinking
she has a voice in the river above Kohak, yet would be willing, hereafter, when
the time came, to consider Persian right to one-sixth of water which has been
allowed for Hauzdar tract in my memorandum, and wider awards C and D. If
this supposition is correct, will it not he necessary, when communicating award
to Amir, for Government to inform him that the award, though referring only
to Persian lands irrigable from and below Band-i-Kohak, does not preclude the
consideration of Persian right to water for Hauzdar lands, should their irrigation
hereafter come within the scope of practical politics ?
It would remove all reasonable ground for Persian appeal, if some
assurance to that effect could he given to Persian Government at the same
time. If thought preferable, Secretary of State for Poreign Affairs, as confirm
ing authority in this arbitration, might perhaps add a ruling to above effect.
I venture to bring this point to notice, in case it may have been partially
overlooked in the general consideration of this complicated question.
Enclosure No. 16.
Telegram, No 894 F., dated the 9th March 1905.
From—The Foreign Secretary, Calcutta,
To— Colonel A. H. McMahon, C.S.I., C.I.E.
Arbitration Commission, Seistan.
British Commissioner, Seistan
Your telegram No. 909, dated 2nd March, about irrigation of Tarakun and
Hauzdar tracts. Point raised by you was fully discussed, and it was considered
undesirable to do anything that might give rise to idea that Persians had any
claim to extend irrigation by canals to he constructed through Afghan territory.
The Amir would never consent to this ; and in view of insistence of Persian
Government that award should he confined to Goldsmid’s award, which refers
only to existing cultivation, it was held preferable to exclude Tarakun and
Hauzdar tracts from consideration. Please repeat to Sir A. Hardinge your
telegram No. 909 of 2nd March and this reply.