‘MESOPOTAMIA: RETURN OF LEADING BAGHDADIS FROM SYRIA. JAAFAR PASHA [and] NURI SAID PASHA’ [‎212r] (109/117)

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MESOPOTAMIA.
Appointment of Sir Percy Cox as High Commissioner : Instructions of
His Majesty’s Government.
(N. B .—The two seta of “ Draft instructions ” printed below were approved bij the
Finance Committee of the Cabinet, not as formal instructions for publication or
otherwise, but as a general indication, for Sir Percy Cox's personal • guidance, of
the lines upon which he is authorised, at his discretion, to give effect to the policy of
His Majesty's Government.)
DRAFT INSTRUCTIONS.
I.—Original draft as submitted to the Cabinet, 5tii August 1920.
His Majesty’s Government have decided to appoint you as their High Com
missioner for Mesopotamia and desire that you should take up your duties without
delay as soon as a decision has been reached in regard to certain essential factors.
You are aware that a telegram has been received from the Acting Civil
Commissioner in Mesopotamia making the suggestion, which is strongly supported by
the General Officer Commanding, that Sherif Feisal should be offered the Amirate of
Mesopotamia ; and that the idea is favoured by His Majesty’s Government in principle,
provided that—
(i) A spontaneous demand for Feisal is forthcoming from a sufficiently repre
sentative body of public opinion in Mesopotamia ;
(ii) Sherif Feisal is prepared in principle to accept Great Britain as Mandatory
Power and to agree to a form of Mandate on the lines already drafted for
communication to the League of Nations, or such modification of it as His
Majesty’s Government can advisedly approve.
(hi) French susceptibilities can be overcome.
Supposing that the demand is forthcoming, Sherif Feisal accepts in principle,
and the question of French susceptibilities is disposed of, your duty will be to get
forthwith into personal touch with Feisal, either in Haifa, Cairo, or some neutral
town in Europe, and proceed to negotiate with him a document which shall form the
basis of the working relations between himself and His Majesty’s Government. It is
possible that Sherif Feisal, by the light of his experience with the French Government
in regard to Syria, may, while accepting the principle of a Mandate and Great Britain
as Mandatory, press for the expression of its terms in treaty form. Should this prove
the case, His Majesty’s Government will be prepared to entertain the proposal.
Should the negotiations above referred to lead to the desired result, you should
then proceed to Mesopotamia with Feisal, or, failing that, jmecede him by a short
period in which to prepare the ground for his coming.
As to the form of government which it is proposed to set up, it is common
ground that it is to be predominantly Arab; but, in view of the change in the
situation arising from our acceptance of leisal as Head of the Arab State, it is
considered that, subject to the safeguarding of our obligations and interests as
Mandatory, the government must be as completely Arab as possible. r Ihat is to say,
that it must be composed as far as, or as soon as, practicable, of Aiab Ministeis for
each Department of State, responsible to the Arab Ruler, each assisted by a British
expert as Secretary, such experts to be considered employes of the Arab Government.
It is recognised, however, that for the present special considerations attach to
certain Ministries which cannot be overlooked, e.g., the Ministries of War, Foreign
Affairs, Finance and Justice. As regards the Ministry of Mar, it must be clearly laid
down in our agreement with Feisal that his Minister of A ar has no connection with or
control over the British garrison m Mesopotamia, which must lemain, foi the peiiod
of the Mandate, under the direct authority of the British Representative.
The Arab Minister of War will simply be concerned for the present with the
organisation and distribution of indigenous formations of a mihtaiy 01 semi-mihtaiy
character, calculated, with the assistance of such British mstructois as may be
necessary, ultimately and gradually to replace the present Aimy of Occupation.
o 2179 60 8.20