مجموعة ١٠/١٧(٣) "شؤون داخلية: الوضع السياسي؛ العلاقات مع الحكومة البريطانية" [و‎‎٢‎٢‎٢] (٥١٣/٤٤٣)

DISTRIBUTION B,
Decypher*
From: IRAQ^
Sir Be Newton., (Bagdad) 9
November
7th, 1940.
^
n
INDIA DlfiECt
Do. 9o40 pom, November 7th, 1940o
Ro lloSO pdiio November 8 th, 1940o
No* 665o
yyyyyyyyyy
My telegram No, 656 and your telegram No* 550*
CONFIDENTIAL c
Recent who usually receives me alone, but was attended by
the Minister for Foreign Affairs spoke to me to-day very frankly
on the subject of changing the present Government*
In the course of long and very friendly conversation, I took
the opportunity to mention the meagre nature of the reference to
the alliance in the recent speech from the throne and ^9 express
surprise at the suppression by the Government of criticism of
obviously false and insulting declaration of sympathy for the Araos
by the Axis and to say that His Majesty's Government were seriously
displeased with the various aspects of foreign policy of the
present Government, and of its control of the press* Regenu said
that he was equally dissatisfied for the same reasons, and that the
Minister for Foreign Affairs wished to resign and thereby bring
about the fall of the Cabinet* He would, however, like resignation
to be deferred for a fortnight in case the Cabinet should_be
further weakened by the position in Parliament* Regent did not
indicate who the new Prime Minister might be* He thought that
General Nuri should be the Minister of Defence and said that he
himself would assist Nuri to assert control and prevent politia_
intrigues in the armyo
Although the behaviour of Rashid Ali [grp 0 undec] has been very-
unsatisfactory and he is dangerously untrustworthy, his capacity
for mischief (except possibly in association wiuh the Muiti;
is probably diminishing and the situation in Iraq causes me
less concern than it did in June* Unless, therefore, the Mufti ^ _ i
is threatening early and serious trouble for us in Palestine, (wnica
would, not, I think be conclusively proved by his acceptance 01
Italian gold) I doubt whether it is necessary uo force the pace
in procuring the fall of Rashid Alio On uhe 0 cner nand, realise
from vour telecram under reference and from reference 10 Iraq m
your telegram So* 559 to Cairo that you may desire to take tne
first opportunity of securing the change* As tne Regent and
General Nuri evidently wanted my view, I compromised by saying mat
in the absence of any obvious successor to Rashid ..lip I agreed
with the wisdom of the Regent s request to Nun to wait tor a
fortnight*
I shall be glad if I may be furnished wi'h your
instructions meanwhile for my guidance* As it may have a beanng
on them I would add that for reasons explained in a separate
telegram I fear that strong direct action against une mum will be
difficult and dangerous* , ^ ^ -n .v T
Repeated to Cairo telegram No* lol (copy to Middle nasty Jeru
salem telegram No. 109 Government of India telegram No. 18 Saving
Angora telegram No* 15 Saving by bag, Tehran telegram No* 20
Saving figures by bag*