Coll 28/112A ‘Persia. Tabriz – Monthly despatches of internal situation in Azerbaijan & misc. reports.’ [‎339r] (680/1237)

4
V5* tiaa military Jogvoys * Xh« last convoy Isft Tabriai on. its
hom« ^ arSf j Jurnay on marc h I5th« Ihs i<:aaulan off! dale at the terminal
point aaeuiae tuat tue ausp^nalcm will oaco^e permanent arid, In talcing
a moet irieudly farewell of the British terAiaal officer# have express
ed their real regret and tl:ieir appreciation of tiie work done* Ho
orders have# however, yet been received locally about the future of the
staging posts and tneir personnel* aU# cessation of tu# convoys is
il&o much re^ 2 *etted by tnia canisulate-general# for who* co-operation
with the military authorities has oeen one of its pleasantest duties*
nefore im last convoy left a film unit visited Tabriz and the
convoy route to obtain a pictorial record. Apparently a iull-lengtfe
11 lm Is contemplated with a love tneme and an attack by Kurds# though
in actual fact no convoy has ever been attacked bf .a*as or anyone else<
iron iakeatan onwards a Russian photographer took over and his shots
were purely dooutuuntary• At Tabrlx# for example# he filmed the unload-
ing operations, an Indian dance at tiie oar park and the ojK icers taking
tea at the donsulate-deneral with vax*ioue soviet citizens* A shot was
also to be taken of a eupply train passing ovi^r the Araxaa into Coviet
ituasia*
,</ 4* u • .y». y «p u • bonyoyh • hr* ^ * * • ml nolair# of the i»idile hast board
of directors# arrived Izi Tabrlx on *4arch 27th m a visit of inspection
with special reference to the question of backloading* He had a long
conversation with tne ^ii^ector of finance on thia matter and will
continue hie discussions on return to Tehran* kr. Sinclair was careful
to emphasise that $•&*£•£• nelp would be complementary to that given by
the Russians and in no sense competitive# Apparently the Huseians#
after being slow starters# are now anxious to carry wheat from points
on th* mein road to mianeh, but tnere are several other directions in
which the U.. .0.0* could render useful service*
?& * Aabrl,&-au.lfq ixailv.uy * urn director of this railway has been
summozied to Tehran to attend a oonfeieace with the Russians regarding
the control of the line# which the Iranian authorities are anxious to
resume, it is said tret railway employees who had been transfer ed to
tne south have been recalled to take up their old posts*
7G * Azerbailun_wruin situation* xhe total quantity of wheat made
available xor Tehran at tue railhead at Alaneh up to the middle of
*iarch utm approximately i#500 tons. The itussians had helped with the
transput of i#2Q0 tons from Turkoman and K&rechivan and are prepared
to carry further loads, provided tne grain is first delivered to points
on tne main road* Unfortunately no transport yet appears to be avail
able lor tne transport of the ,rue oil grain which is earmarked lor
Tehran# although# contrary to previously stated intentions, aozae
appears to be reaching Tabriz from this aource. meanwhile the price of
grain is steadily failing* At Ardebil It can now ue purchased lor
l#d00 rials per ton. Pome 3#Q0Q tone are held at Ahar# but they cannot
ic transported to Tabri* by lorry on account of the state of the road,
home camel transport is being used# however, ior this purpose*
Tne falling market is influencing the demands on the Taoriz silo
as there is now no appreciable difference oetween the Government and
open market price* Iseuss from the silo have sunk from 95 to 60 tons
per diEy and# according to the manager of the silo# stocks of wheat are
beginning to aoouizmlate* lie put© the present stock at l#700 tons - s
big ana sudden jump*
A conierence took place at Tabriz on March 12th between the
supply department and the Russians regarding the delivery of barley
und^r their contract. The huseian need is urgent and they complained
ox slow delivery# asking tor 70 tons daily at Tabriz. Arrangements
were made to supply 60 tons daily here and for delivery to be taken of
aduitional quantities at Maraghah# Mianduab, Makebad and Ardebil*
barley is being seat from Tabriz for trie Soviet troops at Khoi.
fn.