Papers of the War Cabinet's Eastern Committee [‎266v] (532/544)

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annexing or of declaring a protectorate in any of the countries
formerly part of Russian Empire, either east or west of the
Caspian. The obje ct of British Government and its Allies is
simply to pacify disturbed regions, to complete evacuation of
German and Turk forces, and then leave the peoples of these
territories at the earliest possible moment in the free enjoyment
of complete liberty under such system of government as they
themselves shall have freely determined.”
General Malleson had been ordered to defer action pending
orders from His Majesty’s Government. The Chairman said that he
had no recollection of any such announcement having been authorised.
The statement, apparently emanating from Constantinople, repre
sented generally what had been the views of the Committee, but
they could not therefore be accepted or announced as the British
Government’s avowed policy. On tlie other hand, General Malleson’s
formula seemed to be free from objection.
Lord Robert C ecil said that after a Meeting when the question
had been discussed by the Committee the Chief of the Imperial
General Staff had spoken to him about the question of our policy,
and the desirability of communicating its general lines to our military
commanders in the Middle East, and he had accordingly drafted a
telegram for General Wilson on the lines of the discussion.
Sir A. Hirtzel said that the War Office telegram was, he
understood, a summary of various resolutions which had been passed
by the Committee, but had not been intended for publication.
General Thwaites said that the War Office telegram had been
sent to General Milne, General Marshall, and General Malleson, for
their information as military commanders, but not for publication.
It had been sent in response to a request received from General
Milne who had urged, before he sent troops to Batum, that he
should be acquainted with the general lines of our policy.
The Committee decided :—
That the War Office and 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. respectively should
immediately telegraph to Constantinople and to onr various
military commanders concerned in the Middle East to the
effect that, the War Office statement was a summary of the
views of the Cabinet Committee, but that it was not
intended to be used for purposes of publication. If, how
ever, a pronouncement of the kind suggested by General
Malleson was required, there teas no objection to his
announcement being published provided that it stopped at
the words “ Turk forces."
The Caucasus and
Armenia:
Despatch of
British Troops.
2. The Chairman said he had been rather disturbed by a
telegram dated 26th instant (E.C.-2898) which had been received
from General Headquarters, Constantinople, communicating a message
from Baku, of which he read the following extract : “ It is reported
by Colonel Jordan that Georgians state it is unnecessary to send
British troops to maintain order in Georgia. Should troops enter
for other reasons it can only be with Georgian Government’s consent,
and interior affairs must not be interfered with in any way. Thomson
has replied that present attitude of Georgian Government will entail
entry of large number British troops.” The Chairman said that it
had never been the intention of the British Government to send
troops to occupy Georgia. All they proposed to do w as to despatch
enough troops to protect the line from Batum to Baku. It now
appeared, however, that General Thomson contemplated extended
operations, although this formed no part of our policy. He suggested
that it might be advisable to caution General Thomson to exercise
greater reserve in these matters.