Papers of the Interdepartmental Conference on Middle Eastern Affairs [‎128r] (255/290)

Printed for the Foreign Office. May 1920.
SECRET.
I.D.C.E., 38th Minutes.
FOREIGN OFFICE.
INTER-DEPARTMENTAL CONFERENCE ON MIDDLE-EASTERN AFFAIRS.
Minutes of an Inter-Departmental Meeting held at the Foreign Office on Monday,
May 17, 1920, at 3 p.m.
Present :
The Right Hon. the Earl Curzon of Kedleston, K.G., G.O.S.I., G.C.I.E.
(in the Chair).
The Right Hon. E. S. Montagu, M.P.,
Secretary of State for India, India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. .
Sir Arthur Htrtzel, K.C.B., Assistant
Under-Secretary of State, India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. .
Mr. J. E. Shuckburgh, C.B., India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. .
Mr. C. C. Garbett, C.I.E., India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. .
General Sir Alexander Cobbe, V.C.,
K.C.B., Military Secretary, India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. .
Sir George Barstow, K.C.B., Treasury.
Sir John Tilley, K.C.M.G., Assistant
Under-Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs.
Mr. L. Oliphant, C.M.G., Foreign Office.
Major-General Sir P. P. de B. Radcliffe,
K.C.M.G., C.B., D.S.O., Director of
Military Operations, War Office.
Lieutenant-Colonel W. H. Gribbon,C.M.G.,
War Office.
Captain H. G. E. Lank, Director of Opera
tions Division (Foreign), Admiralty.
Commander Lang, D.S. O., Admiralty.
Commander Le Page, D.S.O.,‘Admiralty.
Air-Commodore J. M. Steel, C.M.G.,
C.B.E., Director, Operations and Intelli
gence, Air Ministry.
Major H. W. Young, D.S.O. (Secretary).
1. Situation in THE Conference had before them a memorandum by the
North-West Persia. General Staff on the situation in North-West Persia, dated the
13th May, 1920 (I.D.C.E.-5215), and connected telegrams.
The Chairman said that the present question to be discussed
with regard to Persia arose out of a series of telegrams from Sir Percy
Cox, various communications which had been received by the War
Office from the military authorities on the spot, and lastly a memo
randum by General Radcliffe which summarised the present position.
The situation in Persia was gravely affected by the Bolshevik
menace and by the success which appeared to be attending the
Bolshevik arms in the Caucasus. The Bolsheviks were established
at Baku, or, at any rate, a Government had come into power which
was favourable to theta. They were in occupation of the town, and
presumably commanded the oil. From Baku they were pressing
down towards Persia and contemplating a landing on Persian soil.
One report stated that a detachment had actually landed at Persian
Astara. In any case, four transports and two warships were
reported to have arrived at Lenkoran, and 600 infantry ana some
artillery had been landed. One ship with two long-range naval
guns and an armoured car had reached Russian Astara. Their
attitude was distinctly menacing.
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