Papers written by Curzon on the Near and Middle East [‎135v] (270/348)

Government ever been suspected of such innocent generositv. M. ^ c h.m/xi w • i
indeed, in his message to me, indicated himseli with clear insight t it ni , ()1 ' ( ^‘ •.
thoughts which have inspired Izzet Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. in concluding the agreement,
can hardly, in fact, be other than this. Though the Itahan ^representative in
the forthcoming conference will be bound by no formal text to any mus i \u\\, n
will inevitably find themselves fettered by the moral difficulties of a position m wtiicn
loyalty to their Allies will drag them in one direction and the expectations 01 ie
reproaches of the Turks in the other. 1 cannot conceive, therefore that the signal me
of this agreement can have any other result than to render the luihisi autiontn s
more unwilling to accept the very moderate and equitable terms uhitdi t u't nu . n s
decided at Paris only last momh to press upon them. In so far as M. Schanzer s action
prejudices—as it undoubtedly must prejudice—the prospects of an early pea(*e m t ie
Near Past, it appears to be inconsistent, with a due regard for the interests not merely
of Great Britain, but of the Allies as a whole. p .
6. In spite of past disappointments, 1 had hoped that on the basis ot the ans
terms the three Allies would thenceforward present a united front to I urkej ; lhat
they would renounce petty and selfish gains in order to secure the common good ; and
I still cherish the profound conviction that only by such conduct can that success be
obtained. For advantages, the illusory nature of which M. Schanzer recognises quite
clearly, the prospect of achieving that success has been deliberately jeopardised, the
agreement which M. Schanzer has signed may differ in form and in detail from that
which was concluded last vear by his predecessor in office, but in its principle it is no
less objectionable, For once more we have the spectacle, which no one has condemned
more strongly in conversation with me than you and the Italian foreign Minister, oi
one of the three Great Powers separating itself from the remainder in order to negotiate
a clandestine agreement with the Turks behind the back of the others, in these
Circumstances, 1 am compelled to present to you the strongest protest of Mis Majesty s
Government against the transaction which you have repoited to me.
I have, Ac.
CURZON OF KEULESTON.