File 53/1915 Part IV 'German War: Turkey; Caliphate etc' [‎201v] (399/481)

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of Director of Military Operations but under control of Mark Sykes assisted by
Philip Graves and Hennessy. Function will be to communicate informa
tion to the Departments and persons concerned in London. Mesopotamia,
India, Mediterranean and to prepare material for propaganda in the Indian*
British and French Press and pamphlets in various areas. I hope vou will
approve this proposal and appoint a liaison officer between bureau and Govern
ment of India.
It is proposed that Gregson should be liaison with the General Officer
Commanding, Force ‘‘ D.” Besident at Aden should be also in touch with the
bureau. Please reply as soon as possible to this.
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Telegram P., dated (and received) the 11th December 1915.
From—The British High Commissioner in Egypt, Cairo,
To His Excellency the Viceroy (Foreign and Political Depaitment), Delhi.
(Addressed to Foreign Office, repeated to India.)
Arab question. The selection of Picot as French representative in recent
Committee is discouraging indication of French attitude on this question
Picot is a notorious fanatic on Syrian question and quite incapable of assisting
any mutual settlement on reasonable commonsense grounds required bv
present situation. It is unfortunate immature adviser of French Government
here (De as regards France ?) is man of similar type. I am informed that he
, a . da y s s© 0 for a . leading Arab notable of Damascus now in E^vnt
and told him as follows notwithstanding his recent assurances to me :
“ Syria will be under protection of France and we shall shortly send an
army to occupy it but we shall govern it in way which most suits its people
of all races and religions, lou can tell all your friends here from me and 1 I
tell you this in my capacity as representative of French Government that Svri*
shall never be part of Arab Empire/’ ernment, tliat fcyna
This is not helpful but it appears useless for me to remonstrate with him
vhile present attitude of French Government continues.
Both desirability and difficulty of detaching Arabs from our enemy are
daily increasing in the meantime. Conditions of Arabia never iustified evneet!
ation of action or organised assistance such as some people think our proposed
mutual understanding has for its object. Instead of their active co-operation
vith enemy what we want is material advanta-e of even a
sympathy and assistance on our side ° passive Arab
If as seems probable time does no longer permit of action elsewhem nnd
we have to await enemies’advance on Egypt "this advanfacm udlii *
still more vital importance to us. advantage will become of
41
Tele Sram P., dated the 15th (received 16th) December 1915.
rom The Bnfcish High Commissioner in Egypt, Cairo,
Pn thG ViCer0J (F ° reign and Pol,itical Apartment), Delhi
. 1 orejgn Office, December 10th, 961, have sent me following telegram
Your telegram No. 7oG.*
roundX;X;^" } ;X^^ f \t e wm diSP ! ay British « Allied for,
Gallipolli and Salonica makes it out of the queltffin to /TV sltuation 1
expedition for the present. question to embark on any oti
French Government’s attitudef in regard to Syria is also very difficult a,
ot obtaining from them any assuran
T ^ l11 really satisfy Arabs we ha
little hope.