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File 1356/1912 Pt 1 'Turco-Persian Frontier:- negotiations at Constantinople.' [‎220r] (449/885)

The record is made up of 1 volume (436 folios). It was created in 7 Feb 1912-25 Sep 1912. It was written in English and French. The original is part of the British Library: 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. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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From Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. , Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , 6th May 1912.
Mohammerah, 5th May. Your telegram(s) No. 185 of 12 th 4pril
VrlTl'~+A regards tecl l nic 1 ? 1 interpretation of text of articles. Original
liench text does not specifically assign to Turkey the sovereignty over the
■ fc Y"T e ° f , the river » and ^ seems clear from the observations of the Turkish
) Ambassador, quoted m paragraph 5 of my letter No. 446 of 9th March that
authmlti 37 if me r? i UTe n 0i their ^ ound in Maiming it. Nor have Basrah
attempted locally to exercise jurisdiction over it; on the contrary
Nmu and haYe r 2 P ea tedly recognized right not obligation of Sheikh
of Mohammerah to participate m measures for the suppression of piracy in
river, vide instances quoted m chapter 7 of Wilson’s precis.
avmg regard therefore to ^ the fact that treaty makes no definite
pronouncement on the point, it is submitted that the Turks cannot
legitimately read into the wording of Article 2 thereof a meaning or
mierence which constitutes a _ position apparently incompatible with
recognized principles of international law in regard to inter(iVation)al (?)
rivers ; nor would it appear practically possible under that law to assign to
one country control over whole waters of joint river without also assigning
to it Jurisdiction over both banks. Such a position would be specially
unworkable m case of tidal river like Shat-el-Arab, where landlUs lying
between high and low watermark are in many places extensive and carry
with them valuable fishing rights. Again, effect of giving whole of river to
Turkey wouid be to give them control of Oil Company’s wharf and anchor
age at Abadan and the present-day anchorage off Mohammerah, which is in
the mam stream.
Secondfy.—Ii however by appeal to Hague Tribunal or other arbitral
c ecision Turks are accorded control of whole of river, suggested arrangement
01 a P arc ; ly Ottoman Board with British member seems a desirable one.
i hird, _ as explained in my letter above quoted, I find it difficult to
understand how we can go back on our past attitude vis-d-vis Sheikh and
iersian Government on any grounds short of issue of some formal arbitral
decision which can be imposed on Persian Government.
As regards Sheikh himself it must be remembered that he is official
representative of the Persian Government as well as the Sheikh of
Mohammerah, and has with him a representative of Persian Foreion Office.
oi us to make a proposal to Sheikh on the lines suggested would ^surely be
to ask him to depart from that technical loyalty to the Central Government
on the observance of which our assurances to him have hitherto depended I
grant that he might be ready to accept our proposal in spite of Persian
Government, m return for a considerable extension of our assurances in the
direction of British protection. But however welcome to him and desirable
tor us such a development might be, we need to realise that if we acted fairly
and unequivocally up to extended assurances so given, we should be
imposing upon ourselves greatly increased responsibility in practice both in
regard to ^Ijcikh and his territories. This is a large question, which can be
considered deliberately as a factor of our general policy and intentions in
regard to Gulf and South Persia.
In view of unavoidable delay which has occurred in the despatch of this
India Officf t0 ^ absenCe fr0m commu “cation!s|, I have repeated it to
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Content

The volume discusses the disputed Turco-Persian Frontier, particularly at Mohammerah, and the negotiations in Constantinople to attempt to settle it.

The correspondence focuses on:

  • the differences of opinion over the actual boundary at Mohammerah, including several maps demonstrating these differences;
  • movements of Turkish and Russian troops;
  • ownership of the Shat-el-Arab and questions of access for navigation;
  • copies of treaties, correspondence and memoranda dating back to 1639 relating to the question of the Turco-Persian frontier.

The principal correspondents in the volume are the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Sir Edward Grey); the Secretary of State for India (Robert Offley Ashburton Crewe-Milnes, 1st Marquess of Crewe); the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (Sir Percy Zachariah Cox); the British Ambassador to Constantinople (Sir Gerard Lowther); the British Ambassador to Russia (Sir George Buchanan); the Viceroy of India (Charles Hardinge, 1st Baron Hardinge of Penshurst); the British Ambassador to Tehran (Sir George Head Barclay); representatives of the Foreign Office (particularly Alwyn Parker) and the 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. ; and Arthur Talbot Wilson, on special duty in relation to the Turco-Persian Frontier.

This volume is part one of two. Each part includes a divider which gives the subject and part numbers, the year the subject file was opened, the subject heading, and a list of correspondence references contained in that part by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.

Extent and format
1 volume (436 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume.

The subject 1356 (Turco-Persian Frontier) consists of 2 volumes, IOR/L/PS/10/266-267. The volumes are divided into two parts, with each part comprising one volume.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 436; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.

The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers, nor does it include the leading and ending flyleaves.

Written in
English and French in Latin script
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File 1356/1912 Pt 1 'Turco-Persian Frontier:- negotiations at Constantinople.' [‎220r] (449/885), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/266, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100036171273.0x000032> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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