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File 200/1928 Pt 10 'Persia: Anglo-Persian Relations. Treaty Negotiations' [‎414r] (828/868)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (432 folios). It was created in 24 Jan 1934-5 Aug 1936. 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. .

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T/
m
THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJE STY'S GOVERNMENT
Printed for the Cabinet. December 1933. 7.1 w,
34-
SECRET.
P
^C.P. 297 (33^
Copy No. O (»
CABINET.
[E 7623/1329/34 G]
PERSIA.
1 HAD a remarkable conversation to day with Sir John Cadman, who is
much exercised as to our relations with Persia and would make any contribution
he can to help to improve them. The Times published a letter from him on the
8th December, which seeks to mitigate the eftect of the deplorable special article
about Persia which that newspaper printed on the 28th November. (It appears
that the Special Correspondent had arranged to leave Persia immediately after
writing the article, and it rather looks as though the Times published it without
appreciating the circumstances.) Sir John Cadman has spoken to Major Astor
and hopes that the Times will be publishing a second article more favourable to
the Shah which can then be telegraphed out to Tehran. Sir John has already
telegraphed his own letter to his agents in Persia.
On the main subject oi improving relations with Persia and bringing about
a general treaty agreement, Sir John Cadman expressed the view that these results
were not likely to be achieved through the ordinary diplomatic channel. This is
not due to any shortcomings in our representatives (with whom Sir John spoke
warmly of his experience), but to the fact that the Shah will not see a foreign
diplomat. He tells me that Sir R. Hoare, for example, practically never sees the
Shah. The reason is that the Shah feels that if he saw the Minister of one foreign
country he would have to see all the Diplomatic Corps. He regards the diplo
matists at lehran as authorised to see his own Foreign Minister, but he resolutely
refuses to see them himself. Inasmuch as the Shah’s own Ministers live in mortal
terror of their Sovereign and would never dare to say or do anything wdiich might
incur his displeasure, diplomatic approach to His Majesty is completely blocked.
Sir John Cadman illustrated this thesis by a detailed account of the recent
negotiations on behalf of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company. His own success in
the matter was entirely due to the fact that he waited until the ordinary diplo
matic machinery had run down and then seized his opportunity to see the Shah
personally and settled with him in a few days. He says that the Shah is very
quick-witted and extremely w T ell-informed, though very passionate in temper.
Before Sir John left Tehran, the Shah told him very earnestly that he wanted
his (Sir John’s) help again and that he desired to establish close and friendly
relations with Britain. Sir John Cadman has, in fact, been helping the Shah
recently about the supply of railway rolling-stock from this country—he found
that the Railway Department at Tehran was being grossly misled and exploited
as to the material and design recommended to them by foreign engineers.
All this leads up to Sir John Cadman’s unconventional suggestion that the
only way to get a satisfactory agreement with Persia is by direct negotiation
between the Shah himself and some Plenipotentiary other than the accredited
diplomatic representative, whoever this last individual may be. He considers
indeed is confident—that if this course could be pursued, an agreement could be
rapidly attained.
I naturally made the comment that, assuming that this was the correct
reading of the position, two difficulties had to be met—first the choice of the
Plenipotentiary, and, secondly, arrangements which would preserve the status
of our regular diplomatic representatives. On the first point, Sir John Cadman
suggested Mr. Even’s name. Apart from other qualifications, his acquaintance
with Persian would make his selection specially appreciated. I said that such a
7136 [9388]

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Content

This volume contains correspondence regarding wide-ranging negotiations that took place between the Persian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the British Legation in Tehran, the aim of which was the agreement of a bilateral treaty between the British and Persian [Iranian] governments in order to resolve a number of outstanding issues including the status of Basidu.

In addition to correspondence, the volume contains the following documents:

  • 'Speech by His Imperial Majesty the Shah at the Majlis on the Day of its Reopening for the Tenth term, Khordad 5, 1314 June 6,1935); (folio 34)
  • 'Memorandum by Mr. Eden upon a Conversation at Geneva on May 22, 1935, with M. Kazemi, the Persian Minister for Foreign Affairs, respecting Anglo-Persian relations' (folio 45)
  • 'Anglo-Persian Relations. Mr. Knatchbull-Hugessen's conversation with Persian Minister.' (folios 119-122)
  • 'Committee of Imperial Defence. Standing Official Sub-Committee for Questions Concerning the Middle East. Minutes of a meeting of the Sub-Committee held at No. 2, Whitehall Gardens, S.W.1. on Thursday, 25th October, 1934, at 3.30 p.m.' (folios 130-137)
  • 'Committee of Imperial Defence. Standing Official Sub-Committee for Questions Concerning the Middle East. Minutes of the Thirty-fifth meeting of the Sub-Committee, held at No. 2, Whitehall Gardens, S.W.1., on Friday, October 12th, 1934, at 3,30 p.m.' (folios 151-168)
  • 'Committee of Imperial Defence. Standing Ministerial Sub-Committee for Questions Concerning the Middle East. Bahrein. Memorandum by Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.' (folio 169)
  • 'Committee of Imperial Defence. Standing Official Sub-Committee for Questions Concerning the Middle East. Minutes of a meeting of the Sub-Committee held in the Room of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, House of Commons, S.W.1, on Monday, June 11th, 1934, at 4.0 p.m.' (folios 261-276)
  • 'Relations with Persia. Admiralty Memorandum', 1934 (folios 284-289)
  • 'Committee of Imperial Defence. Standing Ministerial Sub-Committee for Questions Concerning the Middle East. Persian Policy. Memorandum by the Secretary of State for India', 1934 (folios 290-291)
  • 'Persia. Memorandum by Sir R. Vansittart' Foreign Office, 1934 (folios 316-317)
  • 'Committee of Imperial Defence. Standing Official Sub-Committee for Questions Concerning the Middle East. Minutes of a meeting of the Sub-Committee held in Conference Room 'A', No. 2, Whitehall Gardens, SW1, on Friday, May 4th, 1934, at 3.45 p.m.' (folios 355-378)
  • 'Proposed Anglo-Persian General Treaty. Position reached on January 17, 1934' (folios 417-431).

The volume includes a divider which gives the subject number, the year the subject file was opened, the subject heading, and a list of correspondence references by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.

Extent and format
1 volume (432 folios)
Arrangement

The subject 200 (Anglo-Persian Treaty Negotiations) consists of eight volumes, IOR/L/PS/10/1250-1257. The volumes are divided into ten parts, with parts 1 and 2 comprising one volume, parts 3, 4 and 5 comprising one volume each, parts 6 and 7 comprising the fifth volume, and parts 8, 9 and 10 comprising one volume each.

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

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 433; 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.

Written in
English in Latin script
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File 200/1928 Pt 10 'Persia: Anglo-Persian Relations. Treaty Negotiations' [‎414r] (828/868), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/1257, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100066374634.0x00001f> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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