File 53/1915 Pt 5 'German War: Turkey; Arab Kingdom; the Petrograd negotiations' [‎109v] (223/436)

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brown area only make the project unfeasible, that the French Government shall be
prepared to consider that the line in question may also traverse the polygon Banias-
Keis Marib-Salkhad Tell Otsda-Mesmie before reaching area (b).
8 For ‘i period of twenty years the existing Turkish customs tarift shall remain in
force throughout the whole of the blue and red areas, as well as in areas (a) and (b),
and no increase in the rates of duty or conversion trom ad valorem to specific rate^
shall be made except by agreement between the two Powers. .
There shall be no interior customs barriers between any ot the above-mentioned
areas The customs duties leviable on goods destined for the interior shall be collected
at the port of entry and handed over to the administration of the area of destination.
9 j t s h a n be agreed that the French Government will at no time enter into any
negotiations for the cession of their rights and will not cede such rights in the blue
area to anv third Power, except the Arab State or Confederation of Arab States,
without the' previous agreement of His Majesty’s Government, who, on their part, will
give a similar undertaking to the French Government regarding the red area
10 The British and French Governments shall agree that they will not themselves
acquire and will not consent to a third Power acquiring territorial possessions in the
\rabian peninsula, nor consent to a third Power constructing a naval base on the
islands of the east coast of the Red Sea. This, however, shall not prevent such
adjustment of the Aden frontier as may be necessary m consequence of recent Turkish
aggression.
11 The negotiations with the Arabs as to the boundaries of the Arab State or
Confederation of Arab States shall be continued through the same channel as
heretofore on behalf of the two Powers. . , . ,;
12. It is agreed that measures to control the importation of arms into the Arab
territories will be considered by the two Governments.
I have further the honour to state that, in order to make the agreement complete,
His Majesty’s Government are proposing to the Russian Government to exchange notes
analogous to those exchanged by the latter and your Excellency’s Government on
26th April last. Copies of these notes will be communicated to your Excellency as
soon as exchanged.
I would also venture to remind your Excellency that the conclusion of the present
agreement raises, for practical consideration, the question of the claims of Italy to a
share in anv partition or rearrangement of Turkey in Asia, as formulated m article 9
of the agreement of 26th April, 1915, between Italy and the Allies.
His Majesty’s Government further consider that the Japanese Government should
be informed of the arrangements now concluded.
I have, &c.
E. GREY.
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