Papers of the Mesopotamian Administration (later Middle East) Committee [‎10r] (19/80)

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MR CHAMBERLAIN said that his Lepartment would draft a telegram
contrining instructions for the Indian Government and Sir Percy Cox,
which he thought would be a relief to them both, stating that immi
gration, land policy and other questions must stand over for the
present.
PARAGRAPH VI*
The Committee made no comments.
PAR. .GRAPH VII.
THE CRAIELuiR said as regards He jf and Kerbela he gathered that
Sir Percy Cox agreed with the views of the Committee, who had only
contemplated the Sacred Cities themselves and not a territorial
enclave An area of land belonging to one country and entirely surrounded by land of just one other country. . He personally concurred in oir -."ercy's view.
IvIR CKAH3HELAIM thought that as Holy Places they must be granted
independence under a Moslem Committee, but precautions must be taken
to prevent their becoming sinks of iniquity or refuges for undesir
able characters. He understood that the Committee wished him to
let Sir Percy Cox know that their views coincided with his.
PARAGRAPH VIII.
MR CHAMBEHLAIR read out the comments of the Government of India
contained in the Viceroy's telegram of April 27, 1917.
THE CHAIRl.iAl! said the concluding sentence, "For these reasons
we think large schemes are to be deprecated until the country settles
down and local labour is available" governed the whole thing.
MR CHRkBHRLAIE suggested that if the line they took was that
of helping and establishing the Arabs there would not be much room
left for Indians.
PAhrG&'.PKS Ia and a.
The Committee made no comments.
PAr.A Ti ^1 .
THE CEdlRIvIAH said that the Indian Government wanted more pre
cise information in regard to the Committee's proposal, and enquired
what practical control the Government of India would exercise. He
said that what the Committee had intended was that the old neutral
zone should be included as well as the new, but this had not been
understood by Sir ^ercy Cox. What the Committee intended was that
India should have the appointment of D olitical Officers to the towns
and ports v/ithin the entire zone who might report also, when
considered advisable, to the British Minister at Teheran.
MR CHAMBERLAIH thought that the Committee should say that it
was impossible for them absolutely to define what their proposals
would amount to in-practice until they wore informed more fully of
the actual circumstances. The Government of India, he said, were
opposed to Sir Percy Sykes' Mission, as they naturally did not want
to have responsibility without authority.