Coll 17/10(1) 'Internal: political situation; relations with HMG' [‎424r] (852/982)

THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S GOYERNMENT
EASTERN (Isaq).
? V. Z . )
\
April 3, 1933.
CONFIDENTIAL.
o f, A A
L vV "t *T
Section 1.
[E 1724/105/93]
1933 :
vd.T.'""
Sir F. Humphrys to Sir John Simon. — {Received April 3 .)
(No. 181.)
gjr, Bagdad, March 22 , 1933.
’ WITH reference to my telegram No. 50 of the 20th March, I have the
honour to report the following further developments in the political situation
in Iraq.
2. On the morning of the 17th March the Bagdad press published reports
of a debate in the Chamber on the reply to the Speech from the Throne, which had
taken place on the previous day. From these I observed that Yasin Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. and
others had made speeches in which they had urged the Government to endeavour
to obtain a revision of the Anglo-Iraqi Treaty of Alliance of 1930. I enclose a
summary^) of the debate, compiled from newspaper reports, from which it will
be seen that the treaty was criticised as unjust and oppressive by reason of the
immense burden of debt which it laid on the shoulders of Iraq, and the foreign
forces and advisers which it imposed on the country.
3 . Knowing the King’s intention to form a new Cabinet and to appoint
Yasin Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. as Minister for Finance, I felt it necessary to warn him of the
significance which would naturally be attached to such a change after this debate.
I therefore sought and obtained an immediate audience with His Majesty. The
following paragraphs summarise the main features of our conversation, which
lasted for more than three hours :—
4 I opened my remarks by recalling that in the several previous discussions
which we had recently had on the subject of His Majesty’s wish to foim a new
Cabinet he had met my misgivings regarding the inclusion of Yasm Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. by
assuring me that the latter ’s hostility to the Treaty of Alliance of 1930 had- arisen
solely from his personal differences with Nuri Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , and was not inspired by
any real objection to the principles or provisions of the treaty per se His
Majesty had asked me to believe that these personal differences were a thing ot
the past and that no one in public life had now the least desire to alter the bases
on which Anglo-Iraqi relations had been established by the treaty.
5. It had come, therefore, as a great surprise to me to see that, m e
debate on the Speech from the Throne, Yasin Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. and several of his asspciates
had pressed the Government to seek an opportunity to amend the treaty, which
they had frankly described as oppressive and unjust and mconsis en w
independence. I added that I felt it necessary to warn His Majesty ‘hapf aftei
such a debate, Naji Beg's Cabinet were to resign and a new Cabmy were formed
including Yasin Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , and others known to be largely under Ms inflimnce th
conclusion which would naturally and logically be rawn } (' 0 v e rinnCTit
Government and by the outside world was that ,e g
indicated a change ^ Pf g s “d^ G ^thrthat the reports which I had
seen of what S Pa^ha had Jid in he Chamber the were possibly
not altogether correct, and he produced a copy TSf'n’of a
Ikha-al-Watani, in which the report of Tasin s speec .i- njmer was
demand for the amendment of the treaty, and suggested that as this paper was
t™official oreLi of the partv of which Yasin Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. was the leader, its version
tne omcrai oigan or uie par y |l t ic I demonstrated the weakness or
ot his speech should be “^Xins that Yasin Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. 's strictures on the treaty
this argument by showing ^ ^JAh two 0 f whose editors were themselves
had been published m all other Mwspape Moreovel . the Prime Minister,
Deputies and had been present g d f ded the attitude of his Government
u - - ->■«-
(')Not printed.
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