مجموعة ١٠/١٧(٣) "شؤون داخلية: الوضع السياسي؛ العلاقات مع الحكومة البريطانية" [و‎‎٧‎٤] (٥١٣/١٤٧)

Confidential
OUTWARD TELEGRAM
[This Document is the Property of His 'BMtinfi^Pffcai^ty’
^ 7
ajdty’s Government, and should be
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kept under Lock X^oCu f
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DISTRIBUTION
/ ' To: IRAQ.
B.
E,405/1/95
With tho Co>n*>$?nents
of tho
Under Secretary of Stat*
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A/.¥o-&m * Cypher telegram to Sir B. Newton”CB5g'®a7.
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Foreign Office. 13th February, 1941. 4.55 p.m.
MUM
IHPQRTMT.
Your telegrams Eos. 120 an d 121 [of February 8 th and
9th respectively: IraqJ have crossea my telegram No.110
[of February 10th].
2 . I approve your language.
3. Prime Pinister seems to hope that we will make
concessions of various kinds without any specific advance
being made on Iraqi side. I think therefore that you #
should speak to him or to the kinister for Foreign Affairs
on the following lines. In view of attitude of previous
Prime kinister Iraoi application for supply.of small arms
ammunition factory ''requirements and ammunition itseli
had simply been shelved, like Iraqi request for dollars.
Now we are ouite prepared to go into question sympathetically>
and (subieef to certain stipulations regarding exchange control
which we considei to beininterest of Iraq as much as ol
ourselves) we could let Iraqi Government have reasonable
amounts of dollars for military and civilian r , e( iuirements.
We could also supply Audax aircraft. We are already spending
large sums on Bagdad-Haifa road, and there is
possibility that we may be prepared to expand Iraqi railway
system also at our own expense.
4 . All this, however, requires sacrifice (in our part
qnrh as we feel would only be justified if Iraqi Government
woSd meet one of our definite requirements by breaking off .
diplomatic relations with Italy. Yo “ ag t
nress for this sten very strongly. The Angloplraqi .
Treaty says that in the event of one party being involved in
hostilities the other party will at gYnature
assistance i n the capaci ty of ap »_Uy, and although nature
of the assistance To^e afforded by" Iraq is defined as Pitting
her communications etc. at our disposal, we do not see how
Iraqi Government can possibly maintain that they are
fulfilling their obligations unless they at least breaK
off diplomatic relations with any country witn which we
are at war.
5
RECd. POL. DEPt.
18 FEB 941
INDIA OFFICE