Coll 15/3(1) 'Egypt. Abolition of Capitulations in Montreux Conference and Convention 1937' [‎297r] (598/1220)

the few that are not are British-protected persons in Egypt), will come within
the jurisdiction thus reserved, it remains to be seen (i) whether the Irish
Free State Government in fact mean to object to cases affecting British
nationals who are also Irish Free State citizens being dealt with by the
British consular court, and (ii) whether the Mixed Courts will be led to
take the view that an Irish Free State citizen possesses a nationality
distinct from that of a British national so that the Mixed Courts will
have to decide (under article 30 of the R.O.J.) whether they should
themselves deal with such a case or leave it to the British consular court. The
South African delegation was throughout in agreement with the line taken by the
United Kingdom delegation and in fact intervened to oppose a solution of the
question whether sujets and protegds of the ex-capitulatory Powers would be
subject to the Mixed Courts, which discriminated between different classes of
British-protected persons, particularly those from mandated territories. Neither
the South African delegation, nor the Irish Free State delegations, made any
difficulty about the grouping of the Commonwealth delegations in the preamble
and signature portions of the convention and protocol and they collaborated with
the United Kingdom delegation in getting over a difficulty as regards the descrip
tion of nationals of the ex-capitulatory Powers in article 25, paragraph 1, of
the R.O.J., where the expression “nationals of the high contracting parties to
the Convention of Montreux ” is used.
Canada.
20. His Majesty’s Government in Canada did not think it necessary to send
a delegation to the conference, but sent a note to the president of the conference,
in which they accepted, in advance, the provisions of any conventions signed and
ratified on behalf of other members of the British Commonwealth of Nations, on
the condition that Canada could claim thereunder the same rights as those States
in whose behalf it had been ratified. This letter has been inserted in the Final
Act of the conference.
Australia, New Zealand and India.
21. I received full powers to sign the conference instruments in respect of
Australia, New Zealand and India and acted under these powers.
The Secretary-General.
22. M. Aghnides (whose services together with those of his small staff had
been lent by the Secretariat of the League of Nations for the con erence) u y
justified our expectations, based on his work in a similar capaci y a e ^
Conference a year before. His work was uniformly tactful and e cien an
almost faultless working of the machinery during the last week o ^i 011
at a time of extreme pressure and congestion of work, was a considera e
ment.
III.— The Course of the Discussions at the Conference.
23. The conference met on the 12th April. Nahas Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. and t0
Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , Egyptian delegates, were members of the official Montreux
the Coronation, and had, if they were to fulfil the engagemen , complete i ts
on the 8 th May. This left only four weeks for the conference to complete Us
work unless either the conference was to adjourn or imp < documents
arrangements were to be upset. The length and comp ox y con f e rence
drawn up at Montreux will show that it was no oasy as a e w a tion had to
work finished in so short a time, and the United Kingdom delegation
assume the ungrateful task of persuading the confer pvvntian dele cr ation
and at greater pressure than most ‘xtrcSd) were^unfortunately not
(for whose convenience the pressure had to be exerci )
the least loud in their complaints of being overworke . pvenino 1 of the 11 th
24. The United Kingdom delegation mana g ed ’ m 0 p n . th ® ^the arrangements
and on the morning of the 12th April, to obtain agre * presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent. of the
to be made for the organisation of t ^ e r) confe . r t e f ^ e q L a ’ Element Committee,
conference, the formation of a General Committe meetings were held on
the presidencies of these committees, &c.). Two p 3 a p necessary
the afternoon of the 12 th and the morning oi tne ^ con f e rence was
formal speeches were made, and on the afternoon of the 13th tne
already down to work in the General Committee.