Coll 30/7 'Persian Gulf, Russia: Russian Trade Activities' [98r] (196/573)
The record is made up of 1 file (280 folios). It was created in 7 Oct 1927-7 May 1936. 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.
^(/•v—O 'j
Imperial and Foreign
News.
RED INTRIGUES
IN ARABIA.
MANY DISGUISES.
(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)
When the Bolshevists met with a rebufl
in China they intensified their campaign
in Southern Asia and the Arabian world.
Their experience in the Far East profited
them there, and local conditions were
favourable to their subversive schemes.
The Third International has a well-
organized intelligence service, and the
native members of the party in Moscow
and the various so-called trading oi’ganiza-
tions keep it well informed on all that is
passing in any region, even the most A
remote, where they propose to ■work.
But Moslem fanaticism and hatred of
foreigners made the hitherto unworked
field of Arabia difficult and dangerous
ground for the Bolshevists.
When they failed to establish official
diplomatic delegations, the Bolshevists
tempted the more or less independent
States with the bait of commercial rela
tions. Thus in 1924 there began to appear
in the Mohamedan world a series of
‘ companies ” founded in Moscow, which
differed from each other only in their
titles. In addition to the notorious Arcos
there were Russo-Turk, Kara Deniz (the ^
Black Sea), Vostotorg (Eastern Com
merce), Shark and others. These com- ^
panics usually sheltered under a foreign ^
flag and were managed by keen and a
energetic young Communists. They a
appeared one after another in a regular a
succession in all the Arab countries. Their a
only purpose was to stir up trouble.
. Egypt, owing to her peculiar political ^
situation, and because she was nearest, ^
was the most promising theatre in which y
to begin operations. Here Arcos opened
in 1924, long before it gained notoriety, ^
under the management of one Lazar -j
Glezer. The Anglo-Egyptian police
quickly saw through the thin disguise,
and Lazar was invited to leave the
country. Branches of Arcos then opened ■
in Syria and Palestine, but had only an L
ephemeral existence. The manager there, "
Edward Goltsman, was expelled after six ^
months, and his stocks were sold by
auction.
1!
DIPLOMATIC BUSINESS.
Undaunted by their failure the Bolshe-^
vists brought out a new company irq
Egypt, the same thing under a different,
name, the “ Russo-Turk, Limited,” withjc
a branch in Syria and in Palestine. The^
general manager was one Ignats
Semeniuk, proud possessor of an Amen ^
can passport, thanks to which he enjoyec*’
the benefit of the Capitulations. For
nearly three years he spread the evange
of Bolshevism by the sale of cheese at oy
ridiculously low price, with the result thaaui
his “ company ” found itself faced with
loss of £45,000. Semeniuk then sailed fc o
America with the remaining assets. Thou
activities of Textilimport in Egypt ha^^
recently been exposed in The l'irne^ ox
Simultaneously with the appearance o.g
Vassiliev, the director of the Egyptian j(
branch, in August, 1928, a regular servico^
of steamers of the Sovtorgfiot was openetL
between Odessa and Alexandria. The| (
Egyptian police have their eyes open, and, l
when these boats put into Port SaicJ and
Alexandria only tho captain is allowed I
eshore !
In tlte Ilejaz an agent fiuni 2*Ioooow 1
as 1924 with a full dip-
Imperial and Foreign
News.
RED INTRIGUES
IN ARABIA.
MANY DISGUISES.
(from a correspondent.)
When the Bolshevists met with a rebuff
in China they intensified their campaign
in Southern Asia and the Arabian world.
Their experience in the Far East profited
them there, and local conditions were
favourable to their subversive schemes.
The Third International has a well-
organized intelligence service, and the
native members of the party in Moscow
und the various so-called trading organiza
tions keep it well informed on all that is
passing in any region, even the most \
remote, where they propose to work.
But Moslem fanaticism and hatred of
foreigners made the hitherto unworked
field of Arabia difficult and dangerous
ground for the Bolshevists.
When they failed to establish official
diplomatic delegations, the Bolshevists
tempted the more or less independent
States with the bait of commercial rela
tions. Thus in 1924 there began to appear
in the Mohamedan world a series of
“ companies ” founded in Moscow, which
differed from each other only in their
titles. In addition to the notorious Arcos
there were Russo-Turk, Kara Deniz (the
Black Sea), Vostotorg (Eastern Com
merce), Shark and others. These com
panies usually sheltered under a foreign
flag and were managed by keen and
energetic young Communists. They
appeared one after another in a regular
succession in all the Arab countries. Their'
only purpose was to stir up trouble.
Egypt, owing to her peculiar political •
situation, and because she was nearest, |
was the most promising theatre in which !
to begin operations. Here Arcos opened I
in 1924, long before it gained notoriety, j
under the management of one Lazar
Glezer. The Anglo-Egyptian police
quickly saw through the thin disguise,
and Lazar was invited to leave the
country. Branches of Arcos then opened
in Syria and Palestine, but had only an |
ephemeral existence. The manager there,
Edward Goltsman, was expelled after six
months, and his stocks were sold by
Auction.
DIPLOMATIC BUSINESS.
Undaunted by their failure the Bolshe
vists brought out a new company in
Egypt, the same thing under a different
name, the “ Russo-Turk, Limited,” with
a branch in Syria and in Palestine. The
general manager was one Ignat
Semeniuk, proud possessor of an Amen
can passport, thanks to which he enjoyec
the benefit of the Capitulations. Fo
nearly three years he spread the evange
of Bolshevism by the sale of cheese at
ridiculously low price, with the result tha
his “ company ” found itself faced with
loss of £45,000. Semeniuk then sailed f(
America with the remaining assets. T1
activities of Textilimport in Egypt haA
recently been exposed in The Time
Simultaneously with the appearance
Vassiliev, the director of the EgyptiaiN
branch, in August, 1928, a regular service/
of steamers of the Sovtorgflot was openeuj
between Odessa and Alexandria. The
Egyptian police have their eyes open, and'
when these boats put into Port Saicj and
Alexandria only tho captain is allowed
ashore
In the Hejaz an agent from Moscow
appeared as early as 1924 with a full dip
lomatic mission accredited to the Court of
King Hussein. The mission was main
tained until the end of 1928, in spite of all
the wars and vicissitudes of the country,
thanks to the address of the Soviet Con-
eul-General, Kerim Hakimotf. This man,
who is an interesting character, calls him
self Hakim Khan. A Turcoman by birth,
he is able to take part m Moslem functions
and performed the pilgrimage to Mecca
every year while other European repre
sentatives were unable to leave Jeddah.
Gradually Hakimoff got into touch with
the discontented elements in many Mos
lem countries. His mission extended its
influence all over the Dutch East Indies
and the Red Sea basin. At his suggestion
Moscow instituted in 1927 regular sail
ings of Soviet boats from the Mediter
ranean through Suez to Jeddah at low
prices for the pilgrims to Jeddah. Every
year “ floating Soviet exhibitions ” into
the Red Sea and
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
advertise
the attainments of the Soviet Government
in industry. The goods are sold at about
half cost-price, on the principle that com
merce is not an end in itself but a political
weapon.
MOSCOW AND THE YEMEN.
A branch of Russo-Turk was opened in
1927 in the Soviet Consulate at Jeddah,
under the management of Byelkin, but
his clumsy methods soon attracted the
attention of the Government of the
Wahabi King, Ibn Saud, and he was
expelled with his whole staff. The
Komintern immediately supplied the
deficiency by a representative of
Vostotorg.
In the summer of 1928 there was a
marked increase in the activity of the
Bolshevists in Arabia. The new Kingdom
of Sana’ and the Soviet Government
recognized each other, as a result of the
secret negotiations of Hakimoff and the
Imam Yahya. A diplomatic mission from
the Soviets soon made its appearance in
Sana’, under the direction of Astakhoff,
Hakimoff’s former secretary, and Byelkin.
who had been expelled from the Hojaz.
These “ diplomats ” are not the repre
sentatives of the Russian people, but of
the Komintern. Arabia Feiix also re
joices, after centuries of isolation, not only
in a Soviet diplomatic mission, but in a
branch of Vostotorg at Hodeida.
As the Arabs have not the remotest con
ception of the true motives of the Russians
their tactics are meeting with success.
Already the Arabian East looks upon the
Bolshevists as natural friends and allies,
on the principle that Moscow is the enemy
of England, and “ the enemy of my enemy
is my friend.” The apparently inexplic
able friction between the Wahabis and Iraq
and Transjordania and the all too fre
quent hostilities along the frontier, which
are liable at any minute to involve the
British Government, can definitely be
ascribed to Bolshevist machinations. The
disturbances round Aden coincided sus
piciously with the conclusion of an agree
ment. between the Soviets and the Imam
of Sana’.
The development of the Bolshevist
schemes is shown by the transfer of their
seat of operations from the Red Sea to
the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
. This move is connected
with the enlarged plan of operations of
the Soviet Consulate at Jeddah, where in
November last the management was taken
over by a bigger man than Hakimoff, a
well-known orientalist named Tiurakuloff,
one of the leading spirits of the Scientine
Association for Oriental Studies in Mos
cow. Simultaneously with his arrival in
the Hejaz there appeared in the Persian
Gulf the steamer Tomp from Odessa with
a new “ exhibition of Soviet products,”
under the command of Moses Axelrod,
who had little difficulty in establishing a
Soviet
agency
An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent.
in one of the ports of
southern Persia under the modest name
of ” Russian-Persian Export and Import
Company.” Axelrod’s activities are
fdready beginning to show results.
I
Pr*Pn=rr-r
About this item
- Content
This file contains correspondence between British officials regarding the trading activities of the U.S.S.R. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , primarily in Iraq, Persia, Kuwait and Bahrain.
These officials are from the Department of Overseas Trade; the Political Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. in Bushire; the British Consulates in Bandar Abbas, Shiraz, Baghdad and Basra; the Political Agencies in Kuwait and Bahrain; the British Legation in Tehran.
The correspondence discusses exact details concerning imports from the USSR and as such includes relevant tables and statistical information but also contains broader political discussions around the political context of these activities and how they may impact on Britain's interests in the region.
Alongside correspondence, the file also contains a number of relevant newspaper clippings from British and Persian publications including a number from Le Messager de Teheran that are in French.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (280 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 commences at the inside front cover with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 283; 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.
- Written in
- English and French in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/3717
- Title
- Coll 30/7 'Persian Gulf, Russia: Russian Trade Activities'
- Pages
- 98r:98v
- Author
- Unknown
- Usage terms
- Public Domain