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Coll 6/93(2) 'SYRIA: Situation in – after capitulation of France, 1940. Incl. Proclamation of Independence.' [178r] (355/626)
The record is made up of 1 file (311 folios). It was created in 3 Jul 1941-12 Dec 1944. 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. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
s*“-**r
6596
1941
With the Compfimentt
of the
Under S*** *■’-*' Stati
for Fciv ^ . Affairs
\ 6
[This telegram is of particular secrecy and should be
retained by the authorised recipient and not passed on.]
[Cypher]
UviU^ffy
WAR CABINET DISTRIBUTION
FROM: EGYPT
FROM CAIRO TO SPEARS BEIRUT,
SECRET
Sir M. Lampson
Nq.282 ; •
15th October, 1941.
• D. 2.55 p.m. 15th October, 1941.
R. 5.55 p.m. 15th October, 1941.
Ha >*f
72ujt & ^ brJiAL+fc
Repeated to FOREIGN OFFICE No.3234
.:I Jerusalem (pass“to Headquarters Palestine) No.511.
f •' [][][] *
IMPORTANT
Following from Minister of State. .
T-; ^
I have been considering whole question of future control
over desert area (less Aleppo district) in the light of recent
events Dexr±jz Zor, various proposals put forward, and in
particular Commander-in-Chief's discussion with General
Catronx on October 6th 0
2. I understand that joint Commission at Deir Ez Zor under
the
presidency
The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent.
of a Syrian representative and with Brigadier*.
Clayton and Major Ditchbum as British, and Colonel Brosset
as French representative. is now starting work; and that after
settling,as.as hoped the immediate questions at issue they
will make recommendations for the future. We have to decide
whether to.settle at once future administration of the whole
area involved or whether to await recommendations of the Gommision.
Please giye me your views. j 3
3. Meanwhile ^following is the position as I see it. •
Article four of Cairo Collaboration Agreement reached on
July 8th-laid down that "movements may be proportionate
and under the.British forces and French forces, territorial
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command (direction or military control of public services,
general security, gendarmerie, police, exploitation of local
resources etc.) belongs to the French authorities in Syria and
Lebanon". At Ain Sofar meeting on August 8th it was agreed
that in the whole desert.area "civil authority is bound to give
satisfaction to demands of military command concerning
s ?2jpity of troops and security of operations and to carry on
with if not execute requests of military authority concerning
functioning of public services.
4. In discussions at that meeting and on previous day
De Gaulle and Catrqux objected to proclamation of British
martial law in Syria or Lebanon, uatroux took the line that if
a conflict arose proper course was for him to proclaim French
etat de siege; he would then [group undec. ? issue] necessary
powers to military commander of areas in which etat de siege
was proclaimed. Although an independent government has now
in s y ria Cairoux retains powers of Commander-in-
Chief of Syrian forces and can therefore proclaim etat de siege
• • •. *
About this item
- Content
Following on from an earlier file (IOR/L/PS/12/2166), this file concerns British policy relating to Syria, following the success of the British-Free French military campaign in Syria [Operation Exporter]. (The abbreviation 'Incl.' in the title stands for 'Including').
The date range of this file is 1941-44; however, most of the material dates from 1941.
Notable correspondents include the following: His Majesty's Ambassador in Cairo (Miles Wedderburn Lampson); Minister of State, Cairo (Oliver Lyttelton); His Majesty's Ambassador in Bagdad [Baghdad] (Sir Kinahan Cornwallis); His Majesty's Ambassador in Washington (Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, referred to in the correspondence as Viscount Halifax); the Secretary of State for India (Frederick William Pethick-Lawrence); General Charles de Gaulle; General Georges Catroux; officials of the Foreign Office, the War Office, and the Government of India's External Affairs Department.
The file includes discussion of the following:
- The British Government's relationship with Free France in Syria (particularly with General Charles de Gaulle) and the possibility that the Free French authorities are suspicious of Britain's interest in Syria.
- Concerns expressed by the Government of India (and to a lesser degree, by the War Office) that the Free French authorities intend to take the place of the Vichy administration in Syria and renege on promises of imminent independence.
- Arrangements for the repatriation of Vichy French officers and the return of British prisoners of war.
- The wording of a Free French declaration (a translated draft of which is included) announcing Syria's independence and the formation of a Syrian Government, with Sheikh Taj ed Din el Hassani [Taj al-Din al-Hasani] as President, issued on 27 September 1941.
- Britain's formal recognition of Syrian independence on 28 October 1941.
- Reports of unrest in the Deir es Zor [Deir ez-Zor] region during October 1941.
- The wording of a Free French declaration announcing Lebanon's independence (particularly the wording of paragraph 16, which makes reference to Lebanon as 'an indivisible unit'), issued on 26 November 1941 (a translated draft of the declaration is included).
- Whether the proclamations of Syrian and Lebanese independence constitute the termination of the French Mandate.
- Whether treaty negotiations should be initiated following the declarations of independence, or delayed until the end of the war.
- The appointment of Major General Sir Edward Spears as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary A diplomatic representative who ranks below an ambassador. The term can be shortened to 'envoy'. to the Governments of Syria and Lebanon.
Also included are copies of daily summaries produced by the Middle East Intelligence Centre (MEIC) in Cairo, covering early July 1941.
There is a small amount of French language material, consisting of extracts from drafts of both of the aforementioned declarations, as well as a copy of the full text of the declaration of Lebanese independence.
The file includes two dividers which give a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. These are placed at the back of the correspondence (folio 2-3).
- Extent and format
- 1 file (311 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 312; 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. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
- Written in
- English and French in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Coll 6/93(2) 'SYRIA: Situation in – after capitulation of France, 1940. Incl. Proclamation of Independence.' [178r] (355/626), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2168, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100043060292.0x00009e> [accessed 8 May 2024]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/2168
- Title
- Coll 6/93(2) 'SYRIA: Situation in – after capitulation of France, 1940. Incl. Proclamation of Independence.'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:15v, 17r:56v, 59r:59v, 60v:82v, 84r:91v, 94r:137v, 140r:161v, 162v:184v, 187r:215v, 218r:256r, 257r:312v, back-i, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence