File 3360/1916 Pt 3 'Persian correspondence. (1918-22)' [‎262v] (537/668)

Prom my immediately preceding telegram it will be seen that the Ameri
can Government are still interesting themselves in the subject, but I note
tha 1 ; you hope that it will not be raised at the Peace Conference.
I have, as you know, on the ground that we should be able to see
clearer after the Peace Conference, encouraged the Cabinet, for the last two
months to avoid raising the question of the employment of foreign officers for
the posts of Pinancial Adviser and military officers for the National force. But
that the Cabinet were then considering other nationalities rather than English
was the underlying reason.
There is now a change in the position. The Cabinet are prima facie ready
to ask for Englishmen as the local situation makes it prejudicial to their
reputation and stability to go on postponing action. I hope therefore that the
position will be considered afresh. I would, with the above preface, make the
following comments on your telegram under reply. Items 1 and 2 have already
been used to the utmost and are now taken for granted. In my present sug
gestions are included items 3 and 4 but somewhat more comprehensive pro
posals are, I trust, possible on our part.
I very much hope as regards item 5 that the British troops will not be
removed prematurely. As the people are now confident that they will ulti
mately go, agitation for their removal has ceased for the present, and it is of
the highest importance that they should, until the Peace Conference is finished
and our policy for the future definitely launched and if the situation remain
stable, be retained.
9
Telegram P., No. 2 &, dated the 13th (? 14th) (received 15th) January 1919. .
From—His Britannic Majesty's Charge d'Affaires and Special Commissioner, Tehran^
To—His Excellency the Viceroy (Foreign and Political Department).
(Addressed Foreign Office, London.)
Further developments have since occurred. Between the Russian Minister
and Minorski there is no love lost and the former, 1 am convinced, dislikes and
disapproves of the latter at heart.
The strongest suspicion and resentment of the heads of our several military
missions were aroused at each place by his attitude and doing during his
tour to Enzeli, Baku, Pitrovsk, Askabad and Ufa, on the ground that he was
anti-British and working in active opposition to the policy they were ordered to
pursue. Towards the end of December he, finally, reached Baku on his return
journey and trouble immediately arose there. General Thomson telegraphed
to me on the 2oth December that he would have to arrest Minorski if the latter
was not immediately recalled. Both the Russian Minister and I were, in view
of what had passed, averse from having him back here, realising that there
would be controversy and disturbance of our happy relations. He devised the
plan of ordering Minorski from Baku to EkatrinOdar and proposed to wire
Sazonoff to keep him there out of harms way. General Thomson entirely
approved and undertook to facilitate bis journey, but meanwhile Minorski was
unfortunately allowed to slip out of Baku without Thomson’s knowledge and
turned up here in a very uncomprising frame of mind. Both Etter and I are
convinced that his remaining here would make it impossible for me to give the
Russian Legation the same support as I have, with your approval, hitherto
given it as it w r ould place the Russian Legation under suspicion of the British
Military Missions with which we are in constant official touch. But Minorski
will not go willingly and Etter is unable to oblige him to do so. On receiving
my view 7 s, he therefore agreed to telegraph to the Omsk Government asking
the Government to order Minorski away or dismiss him. I learn from him
to-day, however, that he has suggested that he himself should leave and take
Minorski with him. This is either in order to avoid personal quarrel with Minorski