Coll 17/16(3) 'The Assyrian Question' [‎278r] (568/1206)

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The President said that he was inclined to agree with the United Kingdom
representative in suggesting that the letter should be communicated officially to
the Iraqi Government. At the same time, if the committee agreed, he' would
speak to Taufiq Beg Suwaidi and explain the anxiety of the committee to have
the Mar Shimun’s allegations thoroughly investigated. He proposed to have an
interview with the Iraqi representative for that purpose on the following day
The president then invited the committee to consider the second part of the
Mar Shimun’s letter, which advocated steps to settle the Assyrians in Canada,
Turkey and Syria. He asked whether the committee thought' it worth while to
send a reminder to the Government of Canada.
The United Kingdom RepTesentative expressed doubt as to the advisability
of this course. What he had himself envisaged was that, if the Brazilian scheme
broke down, the Canadian Government, and any other Government which had not
replied to the League’s enquiry, might be approached with a good deal more
insistence than was now possible. They could then be urged to consider the
matter favourably. If, however, a mere reminder were sent to them at this stage,
they would almost certainly, so long as the fate of the Brazilian scheme was
unknown, take up a negative attitude from which it might be very difficult to
dislodge them at a later stage.
It was agreed that it would be preferable not to remind the Canadian
Government at the moment.
It was also agreed that there was little purpose in approaching the Govern
ment of Turkey and, in fact, it was undesirable to do so, since, in the unlikely
event of their agreeing to take the Assyrians, it would certainly be impossible
to get them to agree to special safeguards for them.
The President then asked the French representative whether he saw any
objection to a request to the mandatory Power to consider settlement in Syria.
The French Representative said that this was a difficult question. His own
view was that it was better not to chase two hares at the same time, and that to
approach other Governments might be bad policy in the dealings of the committee
with Brazil. Apart from this, the question of settlement in Syria was, he
thought, likely to be one of some difficulty, judging by the difficulties which the
French Government were experiencing in the matter of other immigrants.
It was agreed that, for the time being, at all events, no note should be
addressed to the French Government, but that the committee should continue to
concentrate on the Brazilian scheme.
After a discussion on future arrangements, M. Arocha informed the
committee that a request had been received from the International Labour Office
asking for a collection of documents concerning the Assyrian settlement scheme
to assist the International Labour Office in its study of questions of colonisation.
It was agreed to defer consideration of this request until it had been decided
to what extent Brigadier Browne’s and Major Johnson’s reports should be
modified. It was felt that, if these reports were communicated to the
International Labour Office, they should be communicated in the same form in
which they might ultimately be presented to the Council of the League.
J. C. STERNDALE BENNETT.
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