Coll 17/15(2) 'Relations with Persia: Persia-Iraq frontier; Persia's claim in the Shatt-el-Arab' [‎19r] (48/1010)

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reverted constantly to the matter in their conversations with members of the Iraqi
delegation. They were disillusioned, but with some difficulty.
15. On the 20th August also it was learned that the Turkish Government
was following the negotiations with the greatest interest. M. Aras had
telegraphed to Yasin Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. and also, it was understood, direct to the Shah,
urging that the opportunity of settlement offered by the presence of the Iraqi
delegation in Tehran should not be lost; once the dispute was settled the three
middle-eastern Governments could proceed to conclude a tripartite treaty of
security and non-aggression; it was suggested that, in view of the European
situation, such a development would be regarded with approval by His Majesty’s
Government.
16. Although some of the permanent officials of the Persian Foreign Office
were understood to be still of opinion that a formula could be found on the lines
discussed in the first interview with Mr. Eeroughi (paragraph 12 above), the
position as between the protagonists was one of complete deadlock (paragraph 13,
last sentence). On the 22nd August, therefore, Nuri Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. wrote a letter to
Mr. Kazemi (Appendix Q) recalling the circumstances in which he had come to
Tehran, summarising the course of the negotiations, and expressing disappoint
ment at the lack of progress, together with a hope that the Persian Government
would still be able to propose an acceptable formula; in conclusion, he asked for
an audience of the Shah to take his leave.
17. On the 23rd August Mr. Kazemi, while promising to answer Nuri
Pasha’s letter as soon as possible, stated that he was most anxious to conclude at
once two treaties, of non-aggression and neighbourly relations, the latter to
provide for the redemarcation of the land boundary; he promised to send drafts
the next day. This proposal appeared to offer some prospect of reducing the
openings for friction, again on the lines discussed in my memorandum No. 9
(Appendix K( 1 )), paragraph 4. His drafts were therefore awaited with interest.
18. On the morning of the 25th August Mr. Kazemi sent the promised reply
(Appendix R) to Nuri Pasha’s letter of the 22nd. It simply denied each and every
statement made.
19. At the same time there arrived, as promised, two draft treaties; but
there was no mention of neighbourly relations or of a redemarcation of the
boundary. The first draft (Appendix S( 1 )) was described as a “ Traite d’Amitie,”
and the second (Appendix T( 1 )) as a “ Traite d’Amitie et de Securite.” The only
articles in the two drafts in any way relevant to the matter which had brought
the Iraqi delegation to Tehran was article 2 of the second treaty, which ran :
“ Les hantes parties contractantes se garantissent I’inviolabilite de leur frontiere
commune.”
20. At 5 o’clock the same afternoon Nuri Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. had an audience of the
Shah. It had always been anticipated that the Abadan anchorage might prove
to be the deus ex machina, to unravel complications at the last moment. These
anticipations were in some measure realised. Nuri Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , as he deplored his
failure to come to any agreement with the Persian Ministers, contrived to hand to
the Shah a Persian translation of his letter of the 22nd August, to the manifest
discomfiture of Mr. Feroughi and Mr. Kazemi. The Shah, having read the letter,
stated he was ready to accept the existing boundary, land and river, and that he
only wanted the anchorage at Abadan. Mr. Kazemi interposed to interpret the
offer as referring to the thalweg boundary from Mohammerah to Bawarda, as
proposed by the rapporteur in May. Nuri Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , however, elicited from the Shah
confirmation that he asked for no more than “ 1 or 2 kilometres ” at Abadan
itself.
21. On the 26th August we returned to Bagdad by air. The text of the
agreed communique is attached as Appendix U^ 1 ) It was agreed that direct
negotiations should be resumed at Geneva.
C. J. EDMONDS.
September 24,1935.
p) Not printed.
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