'Territorial changes. Memorandum by the India Office' [‎76r] (5/10)

2E9BES1
APPENDICES.
APPENDIX A.
Telegram from Government of India to Secretary of State,
dated Sth September 1916.
Secret. Your telegram of the 21st ultimo. Disposal of captured
territory. \Ye are replying fully by despatch as it is difficult to compress
our views into a telegram, but following is summary subject to fuller
consideration or revision in our despatch. Only captured territories in
which India is interested are Iraq and German East Africa. We assume
both will be retained. As regards future administration of Iraq there will
obviously be important Military, Political and Administrative considerations
on which we trust we may be consulted. As regards German East Africa,
whatever may be its eventual administration, we trust arrangements to
admit of Indian emigration on equitable lines may be made.
As regards obsolete treaty rights and territorial readjustments vis-d-vis
our allies following are our views :—
(A) . France. We strongly recommend negotiations for extinction of
territorial rights in India on lines proposed in paragraph 7 of the India
Office memorandum dated 20th April 1915 to secure concession indicated.
To this end we are prepared further to agree to modification of our extra
dition rights as regards political offenders under treaty of 1815. x\s regards
Maskat we recommend, if possible, the abrogation of treaty of 1862 on the
ground that, as subsequently interpreted, it gives France a position at
Maskat and in the Gulf generally which interferes with our prescriptive
rights in that region, and that it precludes our acquiring or even leasing
territory belonging to Maskat, exempli gratia Gwadur. There seems no
need now to ask for amendment of Article II of French commercial treaty
with Maskat of 1814, since arms question has been disposed of by French
Government’s note of 1911. Opportunity should be taken to infoim 1 icnch
Government that His Majesty’s Government have never recognised 1 rench
claims in any shape or form in regard to feheikh Said or \\ estern Arabia
put forward by the Societe Ouest Asiatique (vide 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. letter
4769/11 of 11th December 1914 to Foreign Office.) Further, we would
impress the necessity of some efficient arrangement to pi event Jibuti from
becoming centre of arms traffic in lied Sea.
(B) . Russia. Our'views have already been put forward in our telegrams
of the 19th April, 13th May and 12th June 1915, but we would emphasise
following points : —
(1) Practical partition of Persia should be avoided as calculated to
increase our obligations and responsibilities most seriously.
( 2 ) If spheres of influence are to be re-arranged we need not press too
strongly for the line proposed in our telegrams referred to.
( 3 ) We must, however, press most strongly for generous treatment so far
as Afghanistan is concerned.
,1) As regards Tibet we adhere to the views contained in the corre
spondence ending with our telegram dated 21st May 1915, though
here again we should prefer that Russia should be urged to adopt
a generous policy. i i i
(5) For reasons given in our telegram of^ 11th October 191o, we should
avoid raising question of Chinese Turkestan.
( 6 N If Anglo-Russian Agreement of 1907 is to be revised, we trust we
shall be allowed to consult Amir regarding any positions affecting
Afghanistan before Agreement is concluded.
(0). Italv. We should be glad of arrangement which would prevent
Italian territory on Bed Sea littoral from affording facilities to arms traffic.
It would further be desirable, if possible, to obtain from Italy some assurance
that she admits Red Sea Islands and Western and Southern Arabia to be
outside her sphere of influence.
s 13 B