File 53/1915 Part IV 'German War: Turkey; Caliphate etc' [‎19r] (34/481)

the Turkish-speaking districts of Alexandretta and eastern
Cilicia* But, after a second letter from the Sherif, dated
9th September, complaining of the lukewarm reception accorded
to his overture, the High Commissioner replied late in October
definitely asking for the exclusion, not only of the &ersina
and Alexandretta districts, but also of portions of Syria
lying west of the districts of Damascus,Homs, Hama and
Aleppo* With these modifications and subject to existing
treaties of ours with Arab Chiefs, he pledged Great Britain
to recognise and support Arab independence in those portions
of the area agreed in which Great Britain is free to act
without detriment to the Interests of her Al^ France; to
guarantee the inviolability of the Holy Places; and to give
all possible help and advice towards the establishment of
n the most suitable forms of Government in the various
"territories”, on the condition that Great Britain be the sole
foreign adviser and only her advisers and officials (if any)
be requisitioned in these territories* But he made a final
reservation of the vilayets of Baghdad and Basra, as necessar
ily to be subject to "special measures ta of (British)
"Administrative control"•
The Sherif in his reply, under date 5th November, accepted
unreservedly the exclusion of the "vilayet of Mersina and
Adana"(sic), but did not accept the exclusion of any part of
Syria. He expressed himself willing to concede provisionally
to British Administration the "districts now occupied by
"British troops" in Irak, An consideration of some pecuniary
indemnity and without prejudice to the rights of either
contracting party* Farther, he engaged that our standing
agreements with Arab chiefs should be respected, if we engaged
not to interfere in Arab internal affairs, and he stipulated
that we,for our part, undertake not to make peace with our
present enemies, without securing Arab independence.