'Correspondence respecting the occupation of Merv by Russia and her proceedings on the Khorassan Frontier of Persia.' [‎121r] (23/26)

It only remains to notice briefly what has been
going on in the Ateks of Deregez and Kelat, to the
west of the Tejend, while the absorption of the
Turkoman country to the east of the river has been
in progress.
In that quarter, it appears that the question of
the water supply for irrigation is of great importance
to the inhabitants, and that, disputes having arisen,
on the subject between the Persian and Turkoman
settlers, Commissioners were appointed last winter
by the Russian and Persian Governments to settle
them.
On the 5th March, the Russian Minister at
Teheran informed Mr. Thomson that Colonel
Karavaieff, the Russian Commissioner, had been
unable to obtain a satisfactory solution of the
question, and that he had therefore returned to
Askabad pending further proceedings. According
to M. Melnikoff’s statement, the Persian population
in the Ateks had appropriated most of the streams
belonging to the Turkoman inhabitants, when the
latter were compelled temporarily to abandon their
lands after the fall of Geuk-Tepe, and the Russian
authorities were now insisting upon the water
which was then diverted from the Turkoman villages
being restored to its rightful owners. M. Melnikoff
further stated that all the Turkomans dwelling in
the Ateks of Dereghez and Kelat were Russian
subjects, but he admitted that there were several
villages in those districts which, like Lutfabad,
undoubtedly belonged to Persia, their inhabitants
being recognized as Persian subjects. Mr. Thomson
having remarked that this arrangement would
place the Ateks under the joint protectorate of
Russia and Persia, and asked if any agreement
had been made or negotiations taken place with
the Persian Government respecting the Turkoman
villages in that region and the line of frontier in
the Kelat and Dereghez districts, M. Melnikoff
replied that the only question which Colonel
Karavaieff had been authorized to discuss was that
of the partition of the streams in the Atek of
Dereghez. No negotiations had yet taken place with
the Persian Government respecting the boundary
line on that part of the Khorassan frontier, nor
had the necessary maps and surveys yet been made.
He was of opinion, however, now that Merv had
bhcome Russian territory, that the moment had
arrived for the delimitation of the frontier through
the Atek country.
As to this, however, Mr. Thomson, in reporting
to Lord Granville,* observed :—
“ It seems to me move probable that the frontier question will
be left unsettled for the present. The right of Russia to the
Turkoman villages in the Ateks is not contested, and no objection
is raised to the passage of her troops through the districts between
Askabad and the Tejend. It is not unlikely, therefore, that the
Russians will defer negotiations on the subject of the line of
boundary until the entire population in the Atek region has been
brought completely under their influence. The Persian as well
as the Turkoman population will then declare themselves Russian
subjects, and refuse longer to give their allegiance to Persia. This
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