Papers written by Curzon on the Near and Middle East [‎18r] (35/348)

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The Italians, Greeks, and Turks, all threaten to intervene. The Italians have
troops in readiness at Rhodes and keep a watchful eye on the Greeks, who are seeking
to increase their forces in the islands and have decreed the cessation of ( (mo i isa ion
of their army. The Turks ask that they should he allowed to send a division, of troops
to keep order, and have suggested that British officers should be attached to it.
A dal /a.—The decision to send a commission to the East, to which Italy was a
party, had scarcely been taken w hen the Italians, on the pretext of a local not, seizec
Adalia, and at the same time officially complained that the Greeks were making
preparations for a descent on Smyrna from the islands. The Greeks, on their sic e,
have now made official representations to His Majesty’s Government, and expressed r*
fear that Italian action at Adalia may be only a prelude to encroachment on the sphere
claimed by Greece. From Turkish sources, indeed, it is now reported that the Italians
have landed further small parties of troops at Budrum, Makri, and Ala) a.
Meanwhile, the belief that the Conference intends to hand over Smyrna to the
Greeks has evoked a storm of protest from the local European col on v, notably from
the American missionaries, and a telegram of grave warning from His Majesty s I ig i
Commissioner at Constantinople. • -
Konia.— Further to the East the Italians are to he allowed to have a military torce
at Konia, a place of great strategic importance, so placed on the Bagdad Railway as to
threaten the interest of the Smyrna-Aidin Railway Company, the only British railway
in Turkey, which has an admirable record and has suffered greatly during the war. n
the event of the Italians succeeding in establishing themselves permanently at Ada ia
and Konia the legitimate hopes of development of this British company will be
completely strangled _ . Q .
Cilicia. — Cilica is claimed by the Armenians as part of Armenia, by the bynans
as part of Syria, and by the French as part of their historical heritage in the Levant A geographical area corresponding to the region around the eastern Mediterranean Sea. .
To the north-east of Cilicia in the direction of Marash, difficulties have arisen between
the French and ourselves owing to the fact that General^ Allenby has found it
impossible, for military reasons, to hand over this district to trench administration as
required by the terms of the Anglo-French modus vivendi.
Alexandretta .—At Alexandretta the latent hostility between French and Italians
has recently been shown by a petty incident in connection with the honours paid to the
Italian consul from Jerusalem in the local Catholic church, and much more serious
troubles have occurred owing to the misbehaviour ot Armenian troops serving with the
French. . . a
Beyrout.—At Beyrout friction between the French and ourselves continues, chietly
over the question of the port, which the French claim as a French naval base, and oyei
the restrictions which General Allenby finds it necessary to impose on the landing
of travellers. . i j j i
Lebanon .—In the Lebanon the despatch to Paris of the packed delegation
engineered by the French has aroused a storm of opposition from the anti-P rench
liar ties. . .
Damascus and Emir FeisuVs Area .—In Damascus and throughout the temtoiy
administered by Emir Feisul disorder prevails. Ihe Arabs' refuse to recognise the
French advisors and administrators appointed by General Allenby in accordance witty
the terms of the modus vivendi, and the French accuse our military authorities of
stimulating the Arab resistence and indulging in every sort of low intrigue against
them. Europeans complain that they can get no justice. Ihe whole country is in a
ferment, and there have been serious riots, resulting in great loss ot life, between the
Moslems and Armenians at Aleppo. _ .
Here again the Italians are seeking to establish interests, and, since the
announcement of the decision to send out a commission, have approached us with
embarrassing requests for permission to open banks and establish consulates —a policy
of penetration obviously aimed at the French.
Palestine .—In Palestine the feeling of both Christians and Moslems against our
Zionist policy has now reached fever heat, and is increasing with every week s delay of
a settlement. The Zionist claims become more and more exorbitant, and the resolutions
of the Zionist Congress recently held in London included such items as the supervision
of all educational establishments, the use of Hebrew as the medium of instruction in the
schools, a monopoly of all public works and restriction of immigration to the Jews. I he
French are opposed to Zionism, and the \ atican has taken serious alarm at the acti\ it\
of what it terms the extremist party of the Zionist Jews.
Occupied Enemy Territory Generally. —Meanwhile, the whole^ cosfc of the
administration of the territory occupied by the Egyptian Expeditionary force falls upon
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