Papers of the War Cabinet's Eastern Committee [‎72v] (144/544)

6
For various reasons this had not been done, but the Chairman
thought that substantially Sir R. Wingate’s recommendations on
that occasion embodied what the Committee now desired.
Mr. Shuckburgh said that he was strongly opposed to giving
further pledges, either to King Hussein or to anybody else, respecting
the future status of Mesopotamia. He reminded the Committee of
the pledges given by Sir H. McMahon in 1915, which had proved a
source of embarrassment ever since, and drew attention to the fact
that Sir P. Cox had protested against making Mesopotamia a pawn in
our negotiations with King Hussein, both in January 1918, and again
in his memorandum to the Committee of the 22nd April of the same
year. The language which it was now proposed to hold to the King
might not go beyond what had already been said, but he considered
a further formal undertaking, which the French Government were to
be asked to countersign, quite unnecessary. By bringing in the
French Government an entirely new element of complication was
introduced. If Great Britain and France jointly undertook—as
was proposed—that the future administration of Mesopotamia should
be based on the “principle of the consent of the governed,” France
might claim, with some show of reason, that she was entitled to see
that the undertaking was duly fulfilled. To that extent we should
be giving her an opening for interference in Mesopotamian affairs.
After further discussion, it was decided—
To drop altogether the first four paragraphs of the draft
declaration^ leaving the remaining paragraphs to run as
follows :—
“The Governments of Great Britain and France desire to
make it clear to the Government of the Uejaz, and
Arabic-speaking peoples of Arabia, Syria, Jazirah, and Irak,
that on the part of neither Government has there ever been
any intention of disposing of these areas, or of allowing
them to be disposed of by any other party, in any way other
than as desired by the populations thereof.
“2. The two Governments further wish to make it clear that
they desire to facilitate to the utmost co-operation, alliance,
and unity of purpose among the various elements of the
Arabic-speaking peoples in the regions mentioned in the
last paragraph with a view to the ultimate restoration of
the liberty and prosperity which these areas formerly
enjoyed.”
Mr. Montagu thought that the first paragraph of the amended
declaration would still give the French Government, if they chose
to avail themselves of it, an opening for interference in the affairs of
Mesopotamia. But to this it was replied that no real ground for
such apprehension existed in the terms of the amended paragraph,
and that any such interference, if it were attempted by the French,
would have to be met by the sharp rejoinder that it was no business
of theirs.
The Committee accordingly decided—
To adopt the form of the Declaration as amended.
Suggested
Exchange of Views
by the British
and French
Governments in
Regard to their
Policy Towards the
Arabs.
5. The discussion of Annexes (A) and (B) to Sir Mark Sykes’s
Paper was postponed, at his request, to a future meeting.
(Initialled) C. of K.
2 , Whitehall Gardens, S.W.,
July 18, 1918.