File 2764/1904 Pt 4 'Baghdad Railway: Anglo-Turkish negotiations; proposals of Turkish Govt; status of Kowait' [‎131r] (266/674)

Fr° m Secretary of State to Viceroy, Foreign Department,
10th April 1912.
ojTr, Se< £ et ', • teIe g ram dated 4th instant. Navigation of
' l claim to control whole river while guaranteeing free
access to Mohammera .s based on Treaty of Erzeroum and fxplanatorv notes
o-ot Nd’nf 161 ^ 016 ’ nlter P retatlon 0n . whl oh these claims are based can be
a °i, aiguments based on practical inconvenience that will follow its
tel^TapTtiein 11 ' 1 ' 616 ^ 11 ^ If y ° L1 llaVe any views as to inter P r etation please
^ Hut inconvenience cannot of course be overlooked. Unfortunately whole
1 urco-1 ersian frontier question, including Mohammera, is under discussion
aS n T a f e J lW f re . at Cons tantinople, and may be taken to Hague, where it
ui 1 be difficult, il not impossible, to keep Mohammera out of it, thouch His
Majesty s Government will do their best.
Meanwhile Turks have informally proposed purely Ottoman river
commission with British member, who must, however, be servant of Turkish
Government. Provided that convention secures effective British control over
appointment of British member, and effective voice for him on commission and
definite exclusion of any other foreigner, I think this may be accepted
1 lease telegraph your views.
hoi motive of His Majesty s Government in favouring mixed commission
please see pages 1 / to 22 of Defence Committee proceedings, 24th May 1911
of which Viceroy has copy. Our object, which is also Turkish object is to
avoid introducing other Powers, and if Persia as well as ourselves come in it
may be very difficult m practice to keep others out. 1 recognise that
i oliammera may have claim to dues in respect of services rendered in his
port, but as regards jurisdiction in river cannot he be persuaded to delegate
any claims he may have to British representative on commission? In any
case, if His Majesty s Government decide that Turkish interpretation of
treaty must be admitted, or if Hague tribunal decide in favour of Turkey, we
could not admit that this is encroachment on Sheikh’s rights within meanino-
of our assurances. &
Informal discussions with Turks are over and more formal discussions
betueen Sir E. Grey and Turkish Ambassador will begin shortly. I shall be
glad to have your views fully on above questions and shall consult you
freely as points arise.