‘MESOPOTAMIA: RETURN OF LEADING BAGHDADIS FROM SYRIA. JAAFAR PASHA [and] NURI SAID PASHA’ [‎212v] (110/117)

recognised that
in
As regards the control of the future British garrison, it is
Mesopotamia, as in other parallel cases, the authority of the chief civi representative
must be supreme, and accordingly as High Commissioner you will be ex-officio
Command a r-in-Chief, and will be the sole channel through which the General Officer
Commanding will communicate with the Arab Government on the one hand and His
Maiestv’s Government on the other. It will be understood, however, that your
position as Commander-in-Chief will carry with it no authority for intervention m
matters of military detail. „ ^ • tj- tit • A ’ n
As regards the conduct of Foreign Affairs, His Majesty s Government as
Mandatory is responsible for them. It is possible that ^ difficulties may be raised on
this point by Sherif Feisal, but the principle must be maintained until the Aiab State
qualifies for admission to the League of Nations. . t
The representation of the Arab Government m foreign states by the British
representative should not be a source of difficulty, it being accepted in principle that,
as the Arab Government progresses, promising Arab officials may be attached to
British Diplomatic or Consular representatives abroad with a view to learning their
duties, and thus qualifying for diplomatic employment later on. It is rather your own
position in relation to the Head of the Arab State in regard to the handling of Foreign
Affairs which presents some difficulty.
There can clearly be no Arab Minister or Ministry for Foreign Affairs. These
must be conducted as a branch of the British Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. or Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. , and primd facie
all external correspondence must be conducted by the British representative. The
Ruler should, of course, be consulted by you in all important matters, and for purposes
of routine communication a trustworthy go-between acceptable to both parties should
be appointed.
Ministry of Finance. —So long as a British Force has to be maintained in
Mesopotamia wholly or partly at the expense of the British Exchequer (and that is
likely to be the case to a gradually decreasing degree throughout the period of
Mandate), it is essential that His Majesty’s Government should be in a position to
exercise effective supervision over the finances of the country.
The appointment of a British Minister of Finance would no doubt be a more
satisfactory arrangement, but as this may be regarded as incompatible with the
principle of truly Arab government, His Majesty’s Government will be prepared to
accept an Arab Minister of Finance, provided that a British Financial Adviser is
appointed with adequate financial powers.
Apart from this, and to strengthen the hands of the High Commissioner in local
supervision of finance, His Majesty’s Government are prepared to appoint to your
staff a representative of His Majesty’s Treasury who will act as your financial adviser
until such time as the Arab Government is in a position to offer, and His Majesty’s
Government to accept, a fixed annual contribution to the cost of the British garrison.
Ministry of Justice. —It is recognised that the precise measures necessary for
safeguarding the obligations and responsibilities of the Mandatory Power towards
foreign subjects need careful consideration, and it is not possible to deal with, the
subject here. His Majesty’s Government will await your suggestions after discussion
with Sherif Feisal.
It is considered primd facie that Sherif Feisal must function as a constitutional
ruler, with an Elective Assembly, but this essential point must be a matter for
discussion in the negotiations with Feisal. Meanwhile it is not considered necessary
to suspend the measures already inaugurated in Mesopotamia for creating elective
machinery.
In conclusion, it has been decided that, as Pligh Commissioner of Mesopotamia,
you will be directly responsible to the projected Department of the Middle East, and
will receive the instructions of His Majesty’s Government through that Department
of State.
II.— Revised dr ait.
In pursuance of the Anglo-French Declaration of November 1918 and other pro
nouncements, His Majesty’s Government have decided, now that peace been concluded
with Turkey, that there shall be as little delay as possible in the creation of an
Arab State in Mesopotamia.
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