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'Synopsis of our Obligations to our Allies and Others' [‎139r] (7/18)

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The record is made up of 1 file (9 folios, including 3 maps). It was created in 6 Feb 1918. It was written in English. 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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7
(H
TO THE POLES
We are not. ot course, bound by any contractual obligation,
although we have ofhcially associated ourselves with the Russian
declaration of March 1917' in the following terms: “ His Majesty’s
Government are happy to give their complete adherence to the
principle of an independent and united Poland ” {Cf- the Asquith-
Briand telegram of the 16th November, 1916. ’ Reaffirmed in
Mr. Lloyd George’s War Aims speech, 5th January, 1918).
TO THE JEWS
We are bound only by the limited assurances given to Lord
Rothschild in Mr, Balfour’s letter.
TO THE JUGO-SLAYS
We are bound by public statements and by the reference made
to their aspirations in the Allied reply to President Wilson’s Peace
Note.
It should be noted also that on the 30th August, 1915,
Sir E. Grey assured M. Supilo that “ after the war Bosnia, Her
zegovina, Southern Dalmatia, Slavonia, and Croatia shall be free.
They can decide their own fate.”
TO THE CZECHO-SLOYAKS
We have committed ourselves only by a vague reference In the
Allies’ reply to President Wilson’s Peace Note.
TO THE ALBANIANS
We are bound only by vague assurances of sympathy. Our
obligations to Albania, incurred by the decisions of the Ambassadors
Conference of 1913, and by the Florence Protocol, being of an inter
national character, are presumably regarded as having lapsed with
the outbreak of war, and they have in any case been superseded
by our commitments under the Italian Treaty of 1915.
We have been very careful to incur no obligations whatsoever
towards Essad Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. .
TO THE ARMENIANS
We are not bound by any valid contractual obligations, although
we are morally committed to the Armenians not only by article 61
of the Berlin Treaty of 1878, but also by the many public statements
made on their behalf. (See Appendix, section 8.)
TO PERSIA
We are not as yet bound by any definite agreements. His
Majesty’s Minister at Tehran has, however, just been authorised to
intimate to the Persian Government that His Majesty’s Government
would be prepared, in certain circumstances, to regard the Anglo-
Russian Convention of 1907 as being in suspense.
We have also concluded (16th February, 1916) a local arrange
ment with the Bakhtiari Khans. . . , ^ ,
In connection with Persia it should be borne m mmd that our
responsibilities towards the Anglo-Persian Oil Company amount
almost to an obligation. *
TO AFGHANISTAN.
The Ameer was assured in the summer of 1916 that—
1. No proposal affecting the interests of Afghanistan will be
made or agreed to at the Peace Conference.
2 That if, as a° sequel to the Peace Conference, any such
question should arise, nothing will be decided without
the Ameer being consulted. H G N
February 6 , 1918 .

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Content

In this document, the author outlines the basic details of agreements, treaties and general obligations which exist between Britain and the following countries and individuals towards the end of the First World War (1914-1918):

  • France;
  • Italy;
  • Russia;
  • Roumania [Romania];
  • King of Hedjaz;
  • Japan;
  • China;
  • Belgium;
  • Serbia;
  • Portugal;
  • Greece;
  • Sweden;
  • Holland;
  • Switzerland;
  • 'the Poles';
  • 'the Jews';
  • Jugo-Slavs;
  • Czecho-Slovaks;
  • Albanians;
  • Armenians;
  • Persia;
  • Afghanistan.

The document was printed for the War Cabinet in 1918 by the Foreign Office, and is initialled by 'H G N' whose full name is unknown

Following the synopsis of relations between Britain and other international powers, there is a table between folios 139v-144 which details the 'war aims' of the Americans, British, French, Italians, Russians, Austrians, Germans and Turkish relating to various 'issues', and notes the degree of agreement between the aforementioned countries on these issues. The 'terms' of each country which are noted in the document are often taken from speeches or statements made by their leaders. In the middle of the table are three maps (ff 141-143) which reflect the details of some of the agreements mentioned in the synopsis.

Extent and format
1 file (9 folios, including 3 maps)
Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence for this description commences at f 136, and terminates at f 144, as it is part of a larger physical volume; 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.

Pagination: the volume also contains an original printed pagination sequence.

Written in
English in Latin script
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'Synopsis of our Obligations to our Allies and Others' [‎139r] (7/18), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/18/D228, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100040051411.0x000008> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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