File 3877/1912 Pt 5 ‘Turkey in Asia: oil interests’ [‎10r] (21/60)

at in tlie negotiations with the Turkish Government)
that there should he a fusion of interests between the
British and German claimants to the Concession the
D’Arcy group (i.e. the Anglo-Persian Oil Company) was
invited by His LIajesty T s Government to enter into an
Agreement with the German claimants and was hie sole
British party to the Agreement of 19th March 1914
which was then concluded.
(5) that this Company has already spent a con
siderable sum of money in connection with the acquisi
tion of the Concession.
(4) that subsequent to the negotiations referred
to in (2) the British Government acquired a two-thirds
interest in this Company and therefore that it is not
in the interest of the Hation that any other rival Oil
groups - whether British or foreign - should be allowed
to acouire Concessions in the territory in question in
view of the undesirable competition which would thereby
be set up<,
In view of the above facts my Board would like
to receive some such assurance as that asked for in
the third paragraph of my letter c-i the 24th i eomary
as the Company is carrying on a considerable amount of
geological work in the regions in question, and oefore
committing it to further expenditure in this direction
my Board would like to be assured that the Company’s
claim - now stronger than ever it was - to priority
for the whole of the Oil rights in that portion of the
Turkish Empire is still recognised oy His Majesty’s
Government.
(Signed)
I have, &c.,
C. Greenway.
Chairman.