File 1569/1913 'Trans-Persian Railway' [‎17r] (42/594)

-? his Do ^ent is the .Property of His Britaimic Majesty’s Gnv P rn,-n 0 „i i
PERSIA.
•confidential.
V* ^ U
1 19!^
[July 28.]
Section 15,
[34793]
No. 1.
Viscount Errington to Foreign Office.—(Received July 28.)
Sir
’ SOCIETE Internationale d’Etndes dn ^ 1913 ’
relative Zhe ^ ^ ^ ° f ‘ he 22nd inStant
In reply, I take this opportunity of expressing the satisfaction with which the
ntish group of the Societe d’Etudes have learnt the approval of His Majesty’s
Government to the terms which were submitted of (1) an intergroup agreement and
above Etter atl ° n aSked f ° r t le Frencl1 8 T0U P of Societe, as referred to in the
tt- u s - r< ; g ? rd ® ( S )’ the Bl i tish group wil l readily adopt the wording suggested by
His Majesty s Government m modification of article 9 of the protocol, and thev will
take an early opportunity of mvitmg tlie adherence of their French and Russian
colleagues to the suggested text m the form of the accompanying French translation
ot the enclosure m your letter now under reply.
While noting that the distribution of interests as proposed in this protocol appears
satisfactory to His Majesty s Government, the attention of the British group has been
uy arrested by the stipulations laid down by the Russian Government in their
memorandum of the 14th May in regard to absolute equality between the three parties
m the neutral zone. Until, however, the British group are advised that His Majesty’s
brovernment have assented in principle to the Russian stipulations, they propose in
negotiating with their foreign^ associates to be guided, as far as possible, by the
principle Hid down by the Foreign Office in their letters of the 4th and 24th February,
namely, that British control must predominate in the southern or Gulf section of any
trans-Fersian line or of the branches which may be made, and that this control shall
not be invalidated by any arrangement which may be made in regard to the percentage
ol other (z.e., non-British) participation in the undertaking.”
With reference to the question of the procedure to be adopted in the matter of
approaching the Persian Government, with a view to obtaining an option for the
construction of a trans-Persian railway, in pursuance of the objects for which the
ociete ^d Etudes was formed, the British group welcome the steps proposed by His
Majesty s Government, and they will much appreciate the opportunity to be offered
t em of expressing their views as to the precise language in which application to the
Persian Government for this option is to be made.
v / s ?^ serve( ^ y° ur letter under reply makes no mention of the manner in
which it is proposed to deal with the points at issue as regards alignment south of
iehran, but it is assumed by the British group of the Societe that when His Majesty’s
Government have satisfied themselves by closer examination of the principle and
etails of this question, they will indicate to the Societe d’Etudes an alignment clear of
any engagements to third parties or other encumbrances, so that, should the option be
taken up at a future time by the prospective concession holders, these last would not
find their activities circumscribed or negatived by the necessity of having to enter into
negotiations with other parties.
I have, &c.
ERRINGTON.
Enclosure in No. 1.
/m , Redraft of Article 9.
(Traduction.)
LES travaux de constructions ayant ete termines, les societes filiales constituees
dans ce but subsisteront en qualite de societes Sexploitation, ou elles seront remplacees
ee —15]
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