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Coll 17/10(3) 'Internal: political situation; relations with HMG' [‎75r] (149/513)

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The record is made up of 1 file (256 folios). It was created in 29 Apr 1940-24 Oct 1941. It was written in English. 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. .

Transcription

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indexed
FILE COPY
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Sir B. Newton s (Bagdad). '
pith February, 1941.
Or
6o52 p.m.
5.00 a.m.
14th February, 1941.
16th February, 1941.
No. 134.
rnmnuimun
r}-
Sir M. Lampson f s telegram No. 12 to me.
1. Colonel Donovan f s visit has been most helpful.
2. Accompanied by American Ministerhe was received on
February 12th by Minister for Foreign Affairs, Prime Minister
and the Regent.
3. The Minister for Foreign Affairs represented that the
only hindrance to satisfactory relations with Great Britain was
the Palestine question, maintained that Irag. had faithfully
fulfilled her treaty obligations and complained of British action
in withholding dollars for the purchase of war material in the
United States. Colonel Donovan said that America was determined
that Great Britain should win the war and- would make arms
available only to Great Britain and those countries genuinely
supporting her. Only such countries could expect^United States
sympathy at the Peace Conference: and American opinion would not
consider Iraq justified in making the fulfilment of her obligations
contingent on British policy in Palestine. The Minister for
Foreign Affairs seemed impressed and_recommended Colonel Donovan
to repeat these views to ihe Prime Minister.
4o With the Prime Minister Colonel Donovan accordingly
.took the initiative. General Taha seemed surprised and even
I annoyed at the United States attitude but he was impressed. He
! also complained of our refusal to provide dollars for war
material, to which Colonel Donovan replied that as soon as Iraq
established relations with Great Britain which were satisfactory
to the latter, the United States, upon a British request, would
be willing to aid Iraq.
5. The Regent expressed_great satisfactipn at Colonel
Donovan 1 s remarks to the two Ministers,.with which he u y
agreed, and reiterated his own pro-British convictions.
6. Fuller record by bag.
7. The Minister for Foreign Affairs has himself told me
that Colonel Donovan had said that ^meripa was determined to help
Britain to the utmost, that Britain s friends were jimerica
friends and that those not helping Britain should expect no
friendship from America. The Minister for Foreign Affair
added that he had asked Colonel Donovan to repeat this direct
to the Prime Minister.
Repeated to Cairo telegram No. 5 Saving (please pass to
Middle East Intelligence Centre, telegram No. 1 Saving).
RECd. POL. DEPt.
18 FEB 941
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.

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Content

This file is a continuation of IOR/L/PS/12/2861. It contains correspondence and memoranda regarding relations between HMG Her or His Majesty’s Government in London. and the Government of Iraq, and documents the reaction of 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. and Foreign Office to political developments within Iraq. The papers primarily consist of communications between HM Ambassador to Iraq and HM Foreign Secretary, regarding the cabinet of Rashid Ali al-Gaylani, his resignation in January 1941 and the formation of a new cabinet under Taha al-Hashimi, and the resumption of power by Rashid Ali backed by the military in April 1941. The file concludes with papers detailing the escape of the Regent 'Abd al-Ilah, and initial negotiations with Rashid Ali's Government of National Defence.

The papers include detailed discussion of the relations between Iraq and the Axis Powers, and attempts by the British to persuade the Government of Iraq to sever diplomatic ties with Italy. They also discuss British concerns over the growing anti-British sentiment in Iraq, as a result of British interference in Iraqi internal affairs and British policy towards Palestine and Syria. Amongst the papers are intelligence reports on the 'Golden Square' Generals (folios 58-59), and a copy of British plans to undermine the Mufti of Jerusalem, Mohammed Amin al-Husseini (folios 194-195). The file also contains a small number of communications from the Government of Iraq, and from HM Ambassadors to Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the USSR.

Folios 4-8 concern the affairs of the family of the late Khan Sahib Badruddin Khan, and appear to have come from a different file.

Extent and format
1 file (256 folios)
Arrangement

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

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 256; 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. Two additional foliation sequences are also present in parallel between ff 2-256, and ff 206-225; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.

Written in
English in Latin script
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Coll 17/10(3) 'Internal: political situation; relations with HMG' [‎75r] (149/513), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2862, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100066207520.0x000098> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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