'A Précis of the Relations of the British Government with the Tribes and Shaikhs of 'Arabistan By Lieutenant A T Wilson, Acting Consul for Arabistan' [‎34r] (72/143)

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As, however, the Turkish Government were said to be in possession of
a copy of the map 1 of the mediating Commissioners of 1850, His Majesty’s
Government, in reply to a reference on the subject from the Resident to His
Majesty s Minister, decided that it was necessary to adhere to the line of the
mediating Commissioners which could only be departed from after con-
su tation with the Russian Government, and as the result of an agreement
with the Turkish Government. His Majesty’s Government, however, it was
explained m a despatch to the Resident from the Foreign Office, No. 1 “ Poli-
tical, dated 27th June 1910, had no desire to disturb the status quo locally
observed, and if there were danger of the question being raised, would devote
their enorts to the prevention of such a contingency.
On August 30th, 1910, in reply^to a subsequent reference on this subject
from His Majesty s Charge d’Affaires at Tehran, who pointed out that it
was unlikely that the lurks would appeal to the recommendation of the
mediating Commissioners whose finding they have almost invariably affected
to ignore, Sir E- Grey stated on August 30th that “ His Majesty’s Govern
ment will of course use their best endeavours to prevent the question being
raised at all by the l urkish Government, or, if they insist on raising it, to
persuade them to desist, but that it would be difficult, while urging them
to abide by the decision of the mediating Commissioners as regards the
northern portion of the frontier, to insist on their disregarding it, as regards
the southern, even granting that they themselves were to adopt an equally
illogical attitude in the matter. Should the question, however, be forced on
His Majesty’s Government, it would of course be open to them to negotiate
for the recognition of the locally accepted boundarv, while retaining that of
the mediating Commission as the bases of the discussion, and they can with
equal justice refuse to tolerate the recognition of anything but the status
quo and as regards the southern portion of the boundary, until the Turkish
Government admit the line of the mediating Commissioners fn the north/’
This, the latest pronouncement of His Majesty’s Government on the
subject, may be considered satisfactory from the Persian point of view, and
it is not too much to hope that in accordance with the principles therein
enunciated a settlement satisfactory to the Shaikh and the Persian Govern
ment could be reached were the question of ’Arabistan frontier to be raised
by the Turks, since there is reason to believe that the present frontier em
bodies in effect, the status quo of 1843 to which the Turks attach so much
importance.
Note on the Turko-Persian Frontier of the Pusht-i-Kuh distriat. 2
This note, which should be read in conjunction with that relating to
’Arabistan, ,is intended to explain the frontier question in its special aspect
in relation to the Pusht-i-Kuh portion of the boundary.
The chief difference between the boundary question of ’Arabistan and that
of Pusht-i-Kuh is that in the former case the boundary is settled from the
Gulf to Hawlzeh by the mediating Commissioners’ line of 1850, whereas in
the case of Pusht-i-Kuh the boundary line is determined by the Protocol of
1869 between Turkey and Persia. 3
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Extract — Translation. —2. The status quo respecting disputed lands such as was
defined by the Commissioners, is to continue in force until the boundary line is settled.
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3. Every place which was considered disputed land when the status quo was accept
ed by the parties shall remain under the authority of the State which governed it at
the time until the boundary is settled. But the supervision will not confer the rights
of ultimate possession.
4. On these disputed lands no buildings of any description shall henceforth be
erected.
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7. This temporary agreement shall hold good till the boundary line is settled.
1 They are fomd not to he in possession of the map but only of the rough small scale plan referred to above :
His Majesty’s Consul, Basrah’s Dragoman saw such a map in the possession of the Commodore, showing
Failiyeh in Turkish temtory.
2 This note is compiled mainly from Mr. Alwyn Parker’s Memorandum of 8th December 1906, and from
Captain Lorimor’s “ Report on Pusht-i-Kuh,” 19f 9.
3 Vide Aitchison’s “ Treaties,” Vol. XII, 4th Edition, App. 19.