File 1356/1912 Pt 1 'Turco-Persian Frontier:- negotiations at Constantinople.' [‎108r] (225/885)

[This Document is the Property of His Britaanic Majesty's Government.!
[A]
PERSIA. [May 31.J
'^CONFIDENTIAL. Section 1 .
[22191] No. 1 .
Foreign Office to 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, Foreign Office, May 31, 1912.
I AM directed by Secretary Sir E. Grey to acknowledge the receipt of your letters
of the 23rd and 21th May, in which you forward two telegrams, dated the 23rd May,
from the British resident in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. respecting the frontier in the
neighbourhood of Mohammerah, and the negotiations now pending with Turkey in
regard to British interests in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
A separate letter will shortly be addressed to you, dealing with certain legal points
raised in the shorter telegram from Sir P. Cox, to which von refer in your letter of the
28th May.
In the meantime, Sir E. Grey considers it important to arrive at a definite decision
in regard to the procedure to be followed, in order to bring about a satisfactory settle
ment of the frontier between Turkey and Mohammerah.
As soon as Sir P. Cox furnishes precise information—which, apparently, will not
be available until the astronomical position of Hawizeh has been fixed—in regard to
the frontier as locally observed, Sir E. Grey proposes to have a map reproduced,
indicating this line, for communication to the Russian Government.
As you are aware, the Russian Government have already promised His Majesty’s
Government their support in upholding that line, though they have not been furnished
as yet with full details regarding it (see Sir E. Grey’s telegram No. 335 of the
11th April, 1912, to St. Petersburgh, and Sir G. Buchanan’s reply No. 150 of the
16th April, 1912).
Sir E. Grey proposes at the same time to inform the Russian Government that the
prospects of a favourable award in regard to this portion of the frontier if the matter
is referred to The Hague Tribunal are uncertain, and that in these circumstances he
proposes to inform the Ottoman Government that His Majesty’s Government cannot
conclude certain pending negotiations in regard to other British interests in the Persian
Gulf, or acquiesce in the desired increase of the Turkish customs duties, unless the
Turkish Government formally undertake not to disturb the land frontier as locally
observed near Mohammerah. He will further suggest to the Russian Government that
this is a solution to which, in his view, the Persian Government could not reasonably
object, inasmuch as it would secure to Persia a frontier more favourable than that
indicated by the line of the mediating commissioners, which Persia conditionally
accepted sixty years ago.
With regard to the boundary between the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and Diaji—that is, so long
as it follows the course of the Shatt-el-Arab, His Majesty’s Government have already
expressed to the Russian Government the view that a frontier more advantageous to
Persia than the mediating commissioners’ line of 1850 could not be successfully claimed
against Turkey, and the Russian Government have intimated their concurrence. But
Sir E. Grey considers that the fact that the boundary of mid-channel has been locally
recognised as 1 he boundary for a period of sixty years does afford a certain lever for
His Majesty’s Government in negotiating directly with the Turkish Government, and
one which may prove of value in securing satisfactory arrangements for the proposed
commission for the conservancy of the Shatt-el-Arab ; he would accordingly propose to
inform the Turkish Government, when negotiations are reopened, that His Majesty’s
Government consider that Persia and the Sheikh of Mohammerah have certain pre
scriptive claims on the Shatt-el-Arab, and that His Majesty’s Government are only
prepared to agree to the proposed draft convention provided the rights of Persia and
the Sheikh of Mohammerah are adequately safeguarded, and provided also that the
land frontier, as locally observed, is accepted by the Turkish Government.
Sir E. Grej would be glad to be furnished with the views of the Marquess of
Crewe on this subject ; and he would also be glad to be furnished with his Lordship’s
observations on the draft convention and report regarding the future conservancy of
the Shatt-el-Arab, a copy of which is enclosed for convenience of reference.*
In particular, he would be glad to know whether the draft convention should, in
[2473 hh—1]
* Joint letter of May 15, 1912.