File 1323/1916 Pt 1 ‘Baluchistan:- Disturbed conditions on the Anglo-Persian border. Future administration of Mekran, Sarhad & the Kalat States’ [‎191r] (379/896)

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Telegram P.j No. 311, dated tbe 5th (received 6th) December 1923.
Prom—His Britannic Majesty^s Consul for Sistan and Kain, Birjand,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign and Political Department,
Delhi.
My telegram No. 72 (Serial No. 133), summarized my two Q. This
refers to telegram No. 97 (Serial No. 157) from Minister, Tehran.
159
No. 70 dated Delhi, the 8th December 1923.
Endorsed by the Foreign and Political Department.
A copy of the undermentioned papers is forwarded to
t he Hon’ble the A. U. >j. and C. C., Baluchistan
H. M.’s Consul, Sistan and Kain , for information I —
H. M.’s Consul, Kirraan
Sarhad Series Nos. 150—157.
160
Telegram P., No. 1702-S., dated tbe 10th December 1923.
From—His Excellency the Viceroy (Foreign and Political Department), Delhi,
To—His Majesty's Secretary of State for India, London.
(Repeated to Tehran.)
Please refer to telegram No. 399 (Serial No. 119) from Tehran.
1. We note with satisfaction that we are not required to furnish active
military co-operation. We trust that the Persians realise the value of the
assistance afforded by our passive co-operation in remaining at Khwash while
they carry out their operations. We see no objection (subject to what is said
below) to close consultation between the Persian General Staff and the Military
Attache and will endeavour to arrange for the best officer available for liaison
duties. Status of Persian authorities with whom he will have to deal, nature
of duties and period for which he is likely to be required will, we trust, be
intimated to us.
2. As yet we know nothing of the details of scheme B and such criticism
of it as oar local officers have given us has not the value attaching to tbe
opinion of a professional soldier. But our local officers are agreed on one
point, viz., that if the problem is tackled from the Sistan side only the difficul
ties will be immensely increased. A simultaneous advance from Herman side
to Pam and Began, which is the course they all favour, might perhaps be
pressed on the Persians.
3. It would be better, we venture to suggest, if the Persian General Staff
were to draw up their own plan and submit it to Colonel Saunders for his
opinion. It should be least be clearly understood that the sole responsibility
for the plan rests with them for if the plan emanates from Colonel Saunders
and anything goes wrong, blame for failure will certainly be laid on us. We
should, in any case, be glad to have, as early as possible, the fullest details of
the plan.
4. Noted.
5. Noted.
6. We shall shortly address you again on this point. j. fta X‘l$Dx I
’.8 IC’BETAEY ’ S
’XATBD DEC 27