File 53/1915 Part IV 'German War: Turkey; Caliphate etc' [‎75r] (146/481)

unless required for official Kse .j ^— _w_en done_wlth
^i\ki
and v/hich prenuxture raiain^ n-f o, 71 ,4 0 .
1 ■ Lbintj 0i ^Jrian question might
divert in an unfavourable direction. I ai piia S i 2e
importance which I attach to results which will folio;
a continuance of Russian advance, as latter mater
ialises so will true conception of their positions
vis-d-vis to the Allies be brou^t hone both to Turks
ana Arabs and they will become easier to deal with.
A certain rapprochment between the Arabs and
Turk's^decentralisation parties is now evident which
/disloyalty/on the part of Arabs to Christian penetra-
tion is bound to strengthen.
nn attractive oifer by such Turkish parties would
oe in serious competition to any proposals Allies can
i, put forward.
Aliy agreement on main principles between Allies i
ctn.1 to ohe good, but to divulge it at present and to
insist on any particular programme would I am con
vinced be to raise considerable feeling, to strengthen
Arab-Turkish rapprochnent, and possibly to affect in
juriously political a xl military situation of Allies
in Turkey at a moment when true attitude of Arabs is
hot quite clear.
In view of hoped for development of war on the
part of Shereef as a result of our past negotiations
with him I feel it would be most impolitic to raise
now with Arabs Syrian question which is quiescent for
the moment. To do so would I am convinced be contrary
to interests both of ourselves and French, who have