"ملاحظات اللورد كرزون عن بلاد فارس" [و‎‎٦‎٣‎٥] (١٣٨٦/١٢٧١)

Moreover, the supreme decision of the Treaty of Berlin once executed, the Kurds,,
who are cleverer than the Turks, by the versatility which is peculiar to their character,
could not do better than ally themselves with the Armenians.
No. 7.
Mr. Goschen to Earl Granville.—(Received August 31.)
My Lord, Therapia, August 23, 1880.
I HAVE the honour to inclose the copy of a very interesting despatch addressed to
Major Trotter by Her Majesty’s Vice-Consul at Van respecting the views, policy, an
intrigues of the Kurdish Sheikh Obeydullah, and the position of the Nestorian Christians
in Kurdistan.
I have, &c.
(Signed) GEORGE J. GOSCHEN.
Inclosure in No. 7.
Vice-Consul Clayton to Major Trotter.
Sir, Bashkala, July 11, 1880.
SINCE my arrival here Toussoun Pasha, the Mutessarif, has told me that some little
time ago he sent an officer to Sheikh Obeydullah with the Firman of his decoration, and
that, in conversation with the officer, the Sheikh said, “ What is this I hear, that the
Armenians are going to have an independent State in Van, and that the Nestorians are
going to hoist the British flag and declare themselves British subjects. I will never permit
it, even if I have to arm the women.” At the same time, the Sheikh has sent to Mar
Shimoun to urge him to join him against the Turkish Government, and has made the
same request to the chief Armenian ecclesiastic here, saying he would protect the
Christians. He has also made villages, even up to within four hours of Bashkala, promise
to pay him taxes.
The Pasha also said that the Sheikh was going to send his son to Constantinople with
the following proposal. He will point out the large sum paid to the Sultan by Beder
Khan Bey, when semi-independent, and will offer to pay a still larger sum if his authority
over Kurdistan is recognized, and his rule is not interfered with.
It seems perfectly clear that the Sheikh, and probably other Kurds, will be bitterly
hostile to any exceptional privileges being granted to Armenians or Nestorians. At the
same time, the Sheikh desires to make himself virtual Prince of Kurdistan, and would like
to get the Nestorians and Armenians to help him against the Turkish Government, and
also to confirm his authority among the Kurds, which is by no means secure, two strong
tribes being against him, and his own eldest son being at feud with him and now in Persian
territory. Moreover, though other Kurds might be with him for a time, yet if he
experienced a reverse, or, if successful, tried to establish strict authority over them, they
would fall away.
On the whole, it seems unquestionable that autonomy or representative government
would be at present totally out of place in these parts, and what is required is a strong
executive in the hands of a capable man possessing the confidence of Europe. But I
feel sure also that he will require to be assisted by European subordinates to some
extent.
I do not think that any immediate outbreak is to be expected; the famine will be a
great obstacle to it; but I hope in my further journeys through Gevver and the Nestorian
country to be able to obtain still clearer information as to the true state of affairs, and
probably to see the Sheikh himself.
I may perhaps call attention to the fact, that from the intimate connection that exists
in these countries between the religious and political elements, the recent negotiations
that have been going on between the Nestorian and English Churches have led to a wide
spread belief, both among the Nestorians themselves and the other races, that the
Nestorians are in some special manner entitled to the protection of England; in fact, that
they are virtually British subjects, a belief which leads both to presumption on the part of