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Coll 17/4 'Iraq-Syria & Syria-Transjordan frontier: delimitation' [‎250r] (512/788)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (386 folios). It was created in 1 Jun 1921-27 Oct 1932. 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. .

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revised frontier, and. whose decision the parties concerned
^hould pledge themselves in advance to accept. The attitude
of His Majesty 1 s Government had been that what was required,
in the interests of the territories concerned, was a common-
sense frontier, based indeed on the 1920 Convention, but talc
ing into account all relevant tribal, geographical and ad
ministrative conditions. His Majesty’s Government were perfect
ly prepared to put the matter absolutely in the hands of an im
partial body. The French on the other hand disliked anything
which would involve a revision of a treaty frontier and had
hitherto taken their stand on the letter of the 1920 Convention
At the Paris conversa'ticns of July 1930 a fomula providing for
a reference of the whole matter to the League had been agreed
upon, but the French Government had not confirmed it, as they
considered that it gave the League too wide a discretion. Sub
sequently a number of alternative foimulae had been discussed,
but no means had been found of reconciling the British and
French points of view.
In May 1931 Sir F. Humphrys and M. Ponsot had met in
Beirut and agreed upon a new fomula (see Annex) for submission
to their governments. This formula provided for a reference
of the whole question to the League on the lines hitherto ad
vocated by His Majesty’s Government. It was now necessary to
decide whether it should be confirmed.
ihe attitude of the French Government to the Beirut
‘•oimula was still uncertain. On the one hand the Quai cl’Orsay
Known to be guided to a large extent by M. Ponsot 5 s views.
)Xi ^ ie °^-uer hand, their acceptance of the formula would mean
1 reverB al of the attitude they had hitherto maintained. His
testy's Government were free to refuse to accept the Beirut
formula

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Content

Papers regarding negotiations to amend the borders between French-mandated Syria, and British-mandated Iraq and Trans-Jordan. The papers discuss the boundaries established by the Sykes-Picot Agreement and the Treaty of Sèvres, the British push for the inclusion of Amadiyah within the Iraq mandated territories, and the issue of tribal groups crossing border regions. The papers primarily consist of communications between the Foreign Office, the Secretary of State for the Colonies, and the High Commissioner for Iraq, with occasional commentary from the 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. Political Department.

The file also contains copies of treaties, minutes and appendices from the Committee of Imperial Defence, Standing Sub-Committee for Questions Concerning the Middle East, and minutes and documents circulated by the Council of the League of Nations, including:

  • Memorandum by the High Commissioner for Iraq, stating objections to the frontiers established by the Treaty of Sèvres, including two maps, ff 375-380.
  • Minutes and appendices of the Foreign Office meeting of 13 July 1931, including copies of the Humphrys-Ponsot Draft for Combined Reference to the Council of the League of Nations, and a copy of the Agreement between HMG Her or His Majesty’s Government in London. and the French Government respecting the Boundary Lines between Syria and Palestine from the Mediterranean to El Hammé, Treaty Series No. 13 (1923), ff 315-349.
  • Papers circulated at the Committee of Imperial Defence Sub-Committee meeting of 8 September 1931, including correspondence with the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs concerning the Beirut formula, ff 238-314.
  • Minutes of the Committee of Imperial Defence Sub-Committee meeting of 23 September 1931, including a sketch map of the Syria-Trans-Jordan frontier, and a report by the British Resident at Trans-Jordan, ff 141-209.
  • Second report by Sir Francis Humphrys on his negotiations in Paris regarding the Syrian frontier, and annexes comprising draft agreements, ff 67-75.
  • Excerpt minutes of the 65th Session of the Council of the League of Nations, 9 December 1931, including copies of the joint request for arbitration submitted by Britain and France, ff 48-66; plus minutes of the sessions on 31 October 1931, and 30 January 1932, ff 37-46.
  • Copy of the League of Nations Mandate, Report of the Commission entrusted by the Council with the Study of the Frontier between Syria and Iraq, Geneva, 10 September 1932 (Official reference: C. 578. M. 285. 1932. VI), ff 6-28, which includes four maps (IOR/W/L/PS/12/2848 (i), IOR/W/L/PS/12/2848 (ii), IOR/W/L/PS/12/2848 (iii) and IOR/W/L/PS/12/2848 (iv)).

The volume includes a divider giving a list of correspondence references contained in the volume by year. This is placed at the end of the correspondence (folio 4).

Extent and format
1 volume (386 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in rough chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 388; 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. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 4-385; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.

Written in
English and French in Latin script
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Coll 17/4 'Iraq-Syria & Syria-Transjordan frontier: delimitation' [‎250r] (512/788), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2848, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100054845816.0x000071> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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