Papers of the War Cabinet's Eastern Committee [‎204v] (408/544)

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(2.) 1 he Committee favours the nomination of a single Great
1 ower, either by the League of Nations, or otherwise
/Q x as representative of the nations in Palestine.
{J.) buch Power should not be France or Italy, but should be
/a \ rr/i v r the Untied States of America or Great Britain.
(4.) While we would not object to the selection of the United
States of America, yet if the offer were made to Great
Britain, we ought not to decline.
(5.) The choice whatever form it may take, should he, as far
as possible, in accordance with the expressed desires
(a) of the Arab population, (b) of the Zionist com-
munity in Palestine.
(6.) Every effort should be made at the Peace Conference to
secure an equitable re-adjustment of the boundaries of
Palestine, both on the north and east and south.
(7.) In any case the pledges as to the care of the Holy Places
must be effectively fulfilled.
Trans-Caspia.
n M ° nt > ag ? ask ? d that the question of the withdrawal of
General Malleson s force in Trans-Caspia, raised by the Viceroy’s
telegram No. 16538, dated the 10th December, 1918 (EC—2693)
^)portunity COnSidered ^ ^ C ° mmittee at the earlies t possible
The Committee decided—
To discuss the question at the Meeting to be held on Wednesday,
the Loth instant. ^
Middle Eastern
Questions t
Arabia.
•,oft 1 3 M T f eCOr ?? t itt f. reSUmed , the discuss * on > adjourned from the
39th Meeting, of the future settlement of Arabia.
< The Chairman briefly reviewed our pledges to the KW of the
Hejaz; the question that had been raised of the latter’s title and
the extent to which European influence, other than British mmht
or might not have to be admitted into the Hejaz. ’ *
on the foHof fngtnes^ 0 ' 1 " P ° liCy ’ geUeralIy might P rOCeed
(i.) We should endeavour to secure from the French and the
Italians the recognition of our special political position in
Arabia, winch the former admitted in the correspondence
of 1916-1917 and in the negotiations of 1917.
(n.) But we should not claim exclusive control of the foreign
relations of the King. °
(iii.) The intrusion of foreign Powers into the Hejaz should be
confined to purposes of pilgrimage, trade, and the like-
and their representatives should have no diplomatic
(iv.) The necessity of subsidising the King in place of the
former Turkish subvention must be considered. Such
subvention should probably be forthcoming from the
Arab States of Syria and elsewhere.
(v.) The supply of arms in the future must also be regulated
by international or other agreement.
(vi.) We should abstain from any interference in the question
of the Khahfate, or the choice of a Khalif.
(vn.) It did not seem worth while to interfere with the title
King of the Arab countries ” which had been assumed
by the King of the Hejaz.
(vni.) But it would be unwise to encourage in any form his
pretensions to political sovereignty over the whole of
Arabia, seeing that they would be disputed both by the
Arab peoples of Mesopotamia and by the Arab chieftains
of the interior and coast.