Printed papers on the political situation and military policy in Egypt [‎78v] (156/176)

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Powers, His Majesty's Government terminated the suzerainty of Turkey over
Kgypt, took the country under their protection and declared it to be a British
protectorate.
“The situation is now changed. Egypt has emerged from the war
prosperous and unscathed, and His Majesty's Government, after grave con
sideration and in accordance with their traditional policy, have decided to
terminate the protectorate by a declaration in which they recognise Egypt as an
independent sovereign State, while /reserving for future agreements between
Egypt and themselves certain matters in which the interests and obligations
of the British Empire are specially involved. Pending such agreements, the
status quo as regards these matters will remain unchanged.
“ The Egyptian Government wdll be at liberty to re-establish a Ministry for
Eoreign Affairs and thus to prepare the way for the diplomatic and consular
representation of Egypt abroad.
“ Great Britain will not in future accord protection to Egyptians in foreign
countries, except in so far as may be desired by the Egyptian Government and
pending the representation of F>gypt in the country concerned.
“ The termination of the British protectorate over Egypt involves, however,
no change in the status quo as regards the position of other Powers in Egypt
itself.
:£ The welfare and integrity of Egypt are necessary to the peace and safety
of the British Empire, which will therefore always maintain as an essential
British interest the special relations between itself and Egypt, long recognised
hv other Governments. These special relations are defined in the declaration
recognising Egypt as an independent sovereign State. His Majesty’s Govern
ment have laid them down as matters in which the rights and interests of the.
British Empire are vitally involved, and will not admit them to be questioned
or discussed by any other Power. In pursuance of this principle thev will
regard as an unfriendly act any attempts at interference in the affairs of Egypt
bv another Power, and they will consider any aggression against the territory
of Egypt as an act to be repelled wdth all the means at their command.”
General Recognition of Egyptian Inde/pendence.
44. During the ensuing weeks almost all Powers who had hitherto maintained
in Egypt only agents and consuls-general raised their representatives to the rank
of Minister and accorded a varying degree of recognition to the new T Egyptian
monarchy.
45. The achievements and failures of the Sarwat Ministry are fully described
in Lord Allenby’s despatches of the 30th September and the 15th October, which are
reproduced in extenso in Appendix (B).
The Egyjytianisation of the Services.
46. One of the first acts of the new Ministry was the “ Egyptianisation " of
the public services by the appointment of native Under-Secretaries, whose executive
authority overshadowed that of their English colleagues of the same rank. The
process was carried out so rapidly as in many cases to impair efficiency, but the
Ministry of Finance formed a notable exception. Here the Minister, Ismail Sidky
Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , himself directed the policy with great ability and success and relied for its
execution on the higher British officials wffiose functions in consequence underwent
but little change.
Retirement of British Officials.
47. Lord Allenby tried hard, but unsuccessfully, to induce Sarwat to conclude a
definite agreement in regard to the retirement and compensation of those British
officials who found their position and prospects so impaired under the new regime
that they felt unable to continue in the Egyptian service. Eventually an unofficial
understanding was reached whereby Sarwat would allow to retire wdth special
• ompensation any officials whom Lord Allenby might recommend to him. This
arrangement is actually in operation, though up to the present not more than a few-
dozen officials have left the service on these conditions, owing to the dilatoriness
of the Egyptian Government in dealing wdth the cases submitted to them by
Lord Allenby.
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