'File 26/157 (F 66) Arabistan and Luristan: Representation in, changes resulting from the War' [‎159r] (322/473)

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causes of iriction between tine rival chief b witJri beneficial
rebulta to Arabibtan generally. A forward policy on the
part of the Persian Government naturally draws these parties
together vith a view to protecting their common interests
and renders the position of any British Representative one
of extraordinary ditiiculty in attempting to reconcile the
opposing vi ev. s 01 the l ersian Government's Hepresentative
and the powerful chiefs whose territories lie to the north
and south. The position is rendered still more difficult by
tne fact that our Consular Representative at jjizful was
until a year and a half ago the de facto Governor of that
district. In view of the present political situation in
Persia I have no doubt that the wiser course is to eliminate
the British Representative at ijizful and allow the 3 opposing
forces in northern Arabistan viz the Persian Government, the
takhtiari Khans and the oheikh of Monammerah to work out
( their proper equilibrium without aid or hindrance from us.
6. Major Hinde has shown that the only British
interests of any importance in the i^izful area are the Anglo-
Persian Oil Company and the x)izful Bridge Company, oo far as
I am aware there is no immediate prospect of striking oil in
the Dehluran area - the only factor which would from the poirt
of view of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company lend any importance
to the question of the retention of a representative of the
British Government in uizful. 1 am inclined to think moreover
that in existing circumstances the Oil Company can attain its
objects more easily by working through its own representatives
as a purely business concern than by depending on the inter
vention of h.B.M. Consular officers. The iJizful Bridge is,
in the opinion of J.^ajor Hinde and rayseli, a liability rather
than an asset and will form the subject of a separate communi
cation. We should welcome any arrangement which would finally
relieve us of responsibility for this concern.
7 # The foregoing remarks will, I trust, have shown
that British political interests in^x>izful ar ^a^in the nature
of a "damnosa h^-ereditas" and tnat no time should be lost
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