Papers of the War Cabinet's Eastern Committee [‎196v] (392/544)

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LORD ROBERT CECIL: That means that Georgia and Daghestan will be easily
dominated by the French forces, which would mean 150,000 men.
LORD CURZON : I do not think, because the Russians kept 150,000 men there,
that you must assume the same conditions will continue. I thought General \Y ilson’s
idea was this : He would not like to see a French Armenia at all, but even if he does,
he has no desire to have the Caucasian region added as well, because he sees reared up
against us in the future what may be a very formidable military menace. Ts not that
right ?
GENERAL WILSON : Yes. Lord Ourzon has stated my view exactly on that
side of it. I do not particularly want to get our troops there, and certainly not for any
length of time. I should like to see the four States put on their feet,, and let the
French stop at Turkish Armenia. Lord Robert says, and 1 quite agree, that we ought
to fly the White Ensign on the Caspian, but you cannot do that—as I imagine the
Admiralty would say—without having your ports. If you lose the Caucasus, that is to
say, if it passes into French hands and then into hostile hands, as it may do, you
certainly cannot fly your White Ensign in the Caspian. However, that is a question
for the Admiralty.
ADMIRAL HOPE : I agree with what you have said.
GENERAL WILSON : This is only a temporary measure, and if you can suggest
anything better by all means let us have it. The only alternative, I understand, is that
the French should sweep on further towards Baku, in the way we propose to do with
Georgia or with Daghestan.
LORD ROBERT CECIL: I propose to make them all independent; I think they
ought all to be independent. That is clear.
GENERAL WILSON : In order to get them on their feet they will want a
helping hand, and who is going to do that ?
LORD ROBERT CECIL : Let the French, do it.
GENERAL WILSON : Would you say that with regard to Georgia and the
Caspian ?
LORD ROBERT CECIL: Even so, I would still say let the French have it. I
think the Black Sea is the important point to us.
GENERAL WILSON: You are going to internationalise that, I suppose?
LORD ROBERT CECIL : Yes.
GENERAL WILSON: The moment anything happens you will be forbidden to
pass up it.
LORD ROBERT CECIL : That does not matter. It will cut the whole thing off.
MR. BALFOUR: Is that your view of internationalisation ? It is an open
point, but it is not as I conceive it. I thought you always could go up. That is my
idea of internationalisation.
MR. MONTAGU : Do I understand your suggestion to be that we should stay in
these provinces with our military occupation so long that we should only go when they
are ready to stand on their own legs, and there is no fear of the French taking
possession ?
LORD ROBERT CECIL : I should be sorry for the Minister who had to defend
that in the House of Commons.
MR. MONTAGU : That is my difficulty. Lord Ourzon and you are both animated
by the desire to keep the French out, but you both say the proposed arrangement is
only temporary, so long as there is any danger of the French coming in, because of the
weakness of the States.
LORD ROBERT CECIL : Forty years ago there was the same idea in Egypt,
but we had to end by assuming the administration.
LORD CURZON : In Egypt, all the while we have been, first with the French
and afterwards by ourselves, administering the country. The condominium broke down,
and only then did we have to take it over.