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File 1355/1917 Pt 6 'Arms Traffic Convention: revised convention, 1925' [‎502r] (1010/1226)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (609 folios). It was created in 19 Feb 1925-29 Apr 1926. It was written in English and French. The original is part of the British Library: 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. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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7
f
extended to us, and at the opportunity which is thus given to us of co-operating in
such an excellent cause. The German delegation sincerely hopes that the labours of
this conference may be crowned with success in the interest of all the States repre
sented here and for the satisfaction of the august body at whose invitation we have
assembled.
f GENERAL DUMITRESCU (Roumania) (translation) : On behalf of the
Roumanian Government, I wish to greet the president and the representatives of
the States who have met together at this conference, and to associate myself heartily
with the good wishes for the success of the work of this conference which have been
expressed here.
The draft convention which has been submitted to the conference, to judge from
its general form, seems to have two> distinct aims : in the first place, the prohibition
and the supervision of all illegitimate traffic in arms, munitions and war implements
consigned to territories which are subject to jurisdiction or to special regions; and
secondly, the regulation of international trade in arms, munitions and war material
in general, which is to be subjected to a system of licences and publicity. It will
be easy to achieve the first aim, and doubtless to secure the general agreement of the
representatives of all the States who are taking part in the conference; but the
solution which has been proposed to achieve the second aim of the convention gives
rise to two series of difficulties. The first one is that the system of licences, super
vision and publicity, which has been contemplated, places non-producing States, and
non-producing States only, in a very unfavourable situation from the point of view
of their security vis-a-vis the producing States. Thanks to the publicity which has
been contemplated, the public opinion of the world will be able to know what means
of defence are possessed by non-producing States, although as a general rule such
States have barely what is necessary^for their security; but public opinion will not
have the corresponding information with regard to producing countries. The second
series of difficulties only concerns the States which neighbour on Russia, which, as
they do not take part in this conference, remain free from any obligation, the
neighbouring States being thus placed in an inferior position which is full of dangers.
It seems that it would have been better, in the interests of the cause of peace, to
endeavour to solve the question of the international traffic in arms, munitions and
war implements at the same time as the question of disarmament, with which it
forms an inseparable whole. But, as the Roumanian Government is anxious to
assist in everything which is likely to promote the interests of peace, it submits to
the conference the difficulties which have been referred to above, and requests you
to study them closely with a view to eliminating them. In conclusion, I should like
to add that I shall have the honour to submit certain amendments in the discussions
in the committees.
M. VEVERKA (Czechoslovakia) (translation) : Mr. President, gentlemen, in
speaking after so many eloquent speakers who have preceded me, I have the privilege
of noting with great satisfaction that they have all of them given expression to their
firm desire to achieve positive results. This dominant idea should guide the work
of this conference. I venture to welcome more especially the noble words of the
honourable delegate for the great American democracy, when he said that the
invention which was to be concluded was the beginning of a whole series of treaties,
w nose aim was that ideal which is common to all of us and so ardently desired—that
18 1.° say peace. This ideal is that of no nation to a greater extent than our own,
"nich had to sacrifice itself 300 years ago in the struggle for freedom of conscience
an( I for the most elevated ideas of modern humanity. " We hope and trust that the
Resistible urge of events will bring about the day when peace will be ensured by
Mutual agreements between peoples guaranteeing their complete independence by
Ransof mutual security. It is true that Czechoslovakia is an industrial country,
an jl consequently a producer of arms; but it is true at the same time that the whole
•ation ardently desires peace. This position may appear somewhat paradoxical,
t - r tile Problem is to reconcile the interests of the producers, leaving them at the same
to me freedom in the arms trade, with this firm and sincere desire of the nations
suppress armaments. Czechoslovakia has not failed to put forward every possible
l 0 ° rt to s °lve this problem. At the present moment our factories are only working
inv P ur P os ? s for national defence to the extent which is strictly necessary and in
nat^ i ra ^° to t ^ le secui,it y which we wish to see increasing daily, thanks to inter-
thei 0 ^ ^ reemen ts. We are similarly ready to grant other countries facilities for
r national defence, but we shall never forget that there is nothing easier than

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Content

The papers in this volume relate to the revised international Arms Traffic Convention (1925).

The papers include: The right to supply munitions to the governments of Afghanistan, Nepal and Tibet should they fall within the ‘prohibited zone’, 11 December 1924; the preference for including all countries bordering India (except Siam) in the prohibited zone should Russia decide to adopt the Convention, and potential British support for Persia’s claim to exclusion from the zone should Russia decide to reject the Convention, 3 February 1925; the exclusion of Persia and Afghanistan from the prohibited zone, and possible arrangement of imports through Bushire [Bushehr], Mohammerah [Khorramshahr] and Karachi, 18 February-12 March 1925; the proposed abandonment of the term ‘prohibited’ areas to induce Turkey and Persia to join the Convention, and empowerment of the governments of the countries bordering India, 24 March 1925; the readiness of HMG Her or His Majesty’s Government in London. to support Persia’s request for exclusion from the prohibited zone in order to ensure the strict regulation of the private arms trade from Russia to India via Persia, 5-11 April 1925; the Government of India’s objections to Article 25 of the Convention, 11-30 April 1925; the Conference on Supervision of the International Trade in Arms and Ammunition, Geneva, 6 May-17 June 1925; the report on the proceedings of the Inter-Departmental Committee assembled to consider the draft Convention for Control of the Trade in Arms, Ammunition and Implements of War produced by the Temporary Mixed Commission of the League of Nations, with annexes including drafts of the Convention by the Temporary Mixed Commission and the Inter-Departmental Committee, and a minute by the Secretary of State on the Arms Traffic Conference, 23-28 April 1925; the protocol on the use of asphyxiating, poisonous and other gases in times of war, 20 May-14 June 1925; the list of countries designated as ‘special zones’ in the Arms Traffic Convention, 25-27 May 1925; the proposal of the Persian delegate Mīrzā A title of honour originally applied to princes, later to military leaders, and later still to secretaries, chieftains, and other ‘gentlemen’. Reżā Khan Arfaʿ al-Dawla, 29 May-6 June 1925; the nomination of a Jurist Committee by the Bureau for the purpose of determining the status of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. in international law as the best means of dealing with the Persian delegation, 4-11 June 1925; the Persian amendment to the second paragraph of Article 15 of the Convention, 8-9 June 1925; the protest of the High Commissioner for Iraq at the inclusion of the country in a special zone, 8-25 June 1925; the vote on the inclusion of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and Gulf of Oman as special zones, 11-15 June 1925; the declaration on the manufacture of arms, ammunition and implements of war, 8 June 1925; the general report on the League of Nations’ Conference for the Supervision of the International Trade in Arms and Ammunition and in Implements of War, including the texts of the Convention, Statement regarding the Territory of Ifni, Protocol on Chemical and Bacteriological Warfare, Protocol of Signature, and the Final Act, dated at Geneva, 14 June 1925 (texts in French and English); the statement of Sir Percy Cox on the Persian arguments concerning maritime zones, and the response of the Persian delegate General Habibullah Khan [Ḥabib Allāh Khan Shāybanī], 15 June 1925-28 January 1926; the inspection of ships at Indian ports and interception of arms bound for China, 22 October 1925-29 April 1926.

The volume also includes a decree by the Shah of Persia, Muẓaffar al-Dīn Shāh Qājār against arms trafficking, signed on his behalf by the Ṣadr-i Aʿẓam, Mīrzā A title of honour originally applied to princes, later to military leaders, and later still to secretaries, chieftains, and other ‘gentlemen’. ʻAlī Aṣghar Khān Amīn al-Sulṭān, dated 1 January 1900 (in French).

The correspondence in this volume is primarily between the Viceroy, Foreign and Political Department; Secretary of State for India; Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; Under-Secretary of State, 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. ; the Admiralty; Richard William Alan Onslow, 5th Earl of Onslow; HM Consul Geneva; War Office; Foreign Office; 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. ; Colonial Office; Sir Percy Zachariah Cox; Sir Frederic Arthur Hirtzel; Secretary of State for the Colonies.

Extent and format
1 volume (609 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume. The subject 1355 (Peace Settlement: The Arms Traffic Convention 1919) consists of four volumes, IOR/L/PS/10/672-675. The volumes are divided into 6 parts; with part 1 comprising one volume, parts 2, 4 and 5 comprising the second volume, part 3 comprising the third volume, and part 6 comprising the fourth volume.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 610; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. The file has one foliation anomaly, f 242a.

Written in
English and French in Latin script
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File 1355/1917 Pt 6 'Arms Traffic Convention: revised convention, 1925' [‎502r] (1010/1226), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/675, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100081597308.0x00000b> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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