مجموعة ١٠/١٧(٣) "شؤون داخلية: الوضع السياسي؛ العلاقات مع الحكومة البريطانية" [و‎‎٣‎٧] (٥١٣/٧٣)

kav<
DIRECT
[Cypher].
DISTRIBUTION 3.
FROM: IRaiQ.
FROM BAGDAD TO FOREIGN OFFICE.
Sir K, Cornwallis.
No. 267.
3rd April, 1941.
D.
R.
W/T
4th April, 1941.
12.20 a.m.4th April, 1941.
Repeated to Cairo telegram No. 108.
Tehran telegram No. 51.
Angora telegram No. 90.
Governor of India telegram No. 57.
Jedda telegram No, 32.
IMMEDI
ATE.
hhh
TT^re found the Regent at Habbaniya on my arrival
yesterday afternoon and had short talk with him before
coming here. As it was probably my only opportunity
of seeing him for some time, I was obliged to give
him advice before I had studied the local situation but
developments of last few hours and.my conversations since
my arrival have not been on those t_2 grps. undec.]
f?lines of] views which I expressed.
2. I told hi.., I thought the hour .of compromise had
passed. The Army Chiefs and Rashid Ali were evidently
determined to seize power and either turn him out or
make him a puppet. So far as my information went the
majority of the population and a considerable part of
the army were favourable to him but this feeling was
likely to wane if he did not take immediate steps to
rally them. I therefore supported his intention of
proceeding to Basra and encouraged him to take strong
and energetic action to restore the situation. I approved
his intention to form new Cabinet with Ali Jaudat or
Jajnil Madfai as Prime Minister, to summon the Chamber and Senate
to ’Basra In order to obtain their public support of his cause,
to issue an appeal to the nation and to promise an
amnesty to any officers and men of the army who had been
obliged to act disloyally, on condition that they renounce
the army leaders whose dismissal he proposed publicly to
announce. With these and other measures which ‘would be
necessary as the situation developed he thought that there
was a good chance of obtaining such a strong display of
opular sympathy that revolutionaries would collapse
.rough lack of support.
-pi
P 0
th
5. I share his opinion that the situation
can be saved but only if he takes immediate and strong
action. Unfortunately owing to weather conditions ue
could not leave Basra until this afternoon. All Jaudat
went with him. Whether he and his supporters will
really act with energy and decision remains to be seen.
They*