File 1356/1912 Pt 1 'Turco-Persian Frontier:- negotiations at Constantinople.' [‎296r] (601/885)

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[This Dc-cument is the Property of His Britannic Majesty’s Government.]
[A]
T
PERSIA.
1 o u
CONFIDENTIAL.
[14719] No. 1.
Sir G. Lowther to Sir Edward Grey.—(Received April 9.)
(No. 270.)
Sir, Constantinople, March 31, 1912.
THE policy of Turkey with regard to the Turco-Persian frontier question is
described in a couple of articles, published during the last few days in a new Turkish
paper, the “ Hakk,” whose attitude is moderately in favour of the Committee of Union
and Progress, in a manner which can hardly be considered palatable to the Turkish
Government or nation. The author of these articles, a certain Suleyman Nazif Bey,
sets forth to explain the true reason of the Russian concentration of troops on the
Caucasian frontier, and the conclusion he arrives at is that it is caused by Turkey’s
aggressive policy on the North Persian frontier line. The whole trouble, he considers,
began in 1907 (? 1905), when Sultan Abdul Hamid sent an expedition to Urmia not
to protect Turkish interests, but simply to try and put a stop to the new constitutional
movement in Persia. England, believing Turkey’s aggressive policy to be dictated
solely by Germany, was thereupon driven into the arms of Russia, and the Anglo-
Russian reconciliation was the death-blow to the integrity both of Turkey and Persia.
The constitutional rdgime has indeed supervened in this country, but no change of policy
has resulted on the Persian question, and the Turkish Government of to-day are still
“ greedily watching Persian affairs in the hope of gaining some material advantage.”
How, for instance, asks the writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. , can the present Turkish Government claim that they
have documentary proof of their rights over a great part of Russian* territory round
Khoy Salmas and Kotur, seeing that there have been Turkish consuls established at the
two former posts for the past half-century, and that Turkey agreed to leave the latter to
Persia when she signed the Treaty of Berlin ?
Russia now claims, and with some justice, that Turkey’s advance to Urmia has
become a serious menace to Russian territory in the rear of Kars, which is of great
strategic importance to her. The only real way for Turkey to strengthen her eastern
frontier is to avoid as far as possible coming into contact at any point along it with
Russia. If, instead of this, Turkey proceeds to seize the territory of a country whose
integrity she has pledged herself to defend, and if Russia, exasperated thereat, marches
in and settles herself in Urmia, Turkey will be left helpless; for England will not
interfere in her favour, having recognised Russia’s paramount interest in the north, nor
can any help be expected now-a-days from Germany either in this or in any other
question.
Notwithstanding the anti-government tone of these articles, it must be observed
that their author is by no means an enemy of the committee. It is true that his removal
from Trebizond, where he held the post of vali until a few weeks ago, though ostensibly
connected with an incident in which he was said to have struck a policeman, was probably
really due to the desire of the committee to have a stronger supporter at that place
during election times, but I am told that he continues to enjoy here, as editor of the
“ Hakk,” a subsidy from the Government equal to his salary as vali.
I understand, moreover, that these particular articles were written by him after an
interview with the Minister for Foreign Affairs. The writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. clearly failed to convey in
them the impression he was intended to convey, and I am informed that he has been
severely reprimanded in consequence.
I have, &c.
GERARD LOWTHER.
[April 9.]
Section 1.
[2440 f—1]
* (? Persian.—A. P.)