"مسألة الشرق الأوسط أو بعض المشكلات السياسية المتعلقة بدفاع الهند" [و‎‎٥‎٢] (٦١٦/١٠٨)

THE PART PLAYED BY THE BELGIANS 71
without strong external pressure no progressive work
can be done in Persia, and that not only is Russia in a
position to apply that pressure, but that it suits her
to apply it with regard to the Customs. The appoint
ment of a Belgian to the directorship of the Persian Post
Office shows that Russia appreciates their co-operation.
Why should they, who have no political interests of
their own to serve, refuse their services to those who
are willing and able to requite them generously?
However valuable to Russia was the control she thus
acquired over an important administration, whose staff
she can use, to some extent, as her agents in remote
provinces of Persia, to which her own influence has few
opportunities of direct access, it was only part of a
much larger scheme. What she wanted was an ab
solute control of the fiscal policy of Persia with regard
to foreign trade. A negative control she already pos
sessed ; for ever since 1828 the trade relations of Persia
with foreign countries, except Turkey, have been practi
cally governed by the Treaty of Turkman Chai, which
provided for a 5 per cent, ad valorem duty on Russian
imports. Every Western country, including England,
had been content, since then, to stipulate for the
insertion in its treaties with Persia of a most-favoured-
nation clause, under which it could claim the same
commercial treatment that had been granted to Russia.
Persia had, it is true, repeatedly applied to the Russian
Government to modify the Treaty of Turkman Chai,
so as to allow an increase of her Customs duties. But
until Russia was in a position to insist upon the re
vision of the treaty being made in her own exclusive
interests she always turned a deaf ear to Persian
appeals. The recklessness of the Persian Govern
ment in piling up debts on the security of the