Papers of the War Cabinet's Eastern Committee [‎201r] (401/544)

Minister has given, or half given, including the Greek population there, Smyrna, and
all sorts of things.
GENERAL SMUTS : The conditions have not been specified.
MR. BALFOUR : You cannot go upon that technical point. If you look at the
Treatv of London there are two things to remember. There is the Treaty of London,
by which Italy was got into the war. One of the clauses of that treaty said that Italy
was to have certain advantages, if we got advantages. That treaty is still operative,
unfortunately, and if you give France these things you must give Italy something.
LORD ROBERT CECIL : May I put this question to General Wilson ? Suppose
it be thought that for political reasons it will be difficult to get the mandatory power
of Great Britain in these four republics admitted, is there any Power you would rather
see there than France ?
GENERAL WILSON : America.
LORD ROBERT CECIL: You would rather see America there?
GENERAL WILSON : Yes. As regards the other question, I think I should like
to consider which of those two, from a military point of view, would be the more
dangerous if France was hostile. ' I am inclined to think that giving her Armenia,
Georgia, and Azerbaijan would be the more dangerous, as she might be able to raise a
bigger army there. But I should like to look into that, because it is a difficult question
of railways, roads, &c.
GENERAL MACDONOGH : Supposing it is found impossible to break away
from the Sykes-Picot Agreement, and the French insist on keeping Syria and Area A,
how will that affect our policy in Caucasia? Surely, if the French are going to stay
in Syria and Area A, then still more certainly ought we to stay in Caucasia.
LORD ROBERT CECIL: Certainly.
GENERAL SMUTS : Should we not put Italy in the place of Russia, as we are
bound to some extent to support her against France? Evidently these two are spoiling
for a fight, and why should we not put Italy somewhere ?
GENERAL MACDONOGH: She would be better than France.
GENERAL WILSON : Do you mean put Italy in Georgia?
GENERAL SMUTS : Yes, supposing America will not go there.
GENERAL WILSON : And supposing you have to keep to the Sykes-Picot
Agreement ?
LORD ROBERT CECIL: If we have to keep to that, and if it is of any
military advantage to keep Caucasia, we should go for it.
GENERAL SMUTS : In the opinion of the General Staff', which is the better for
us : to clear France away from the south—from Egypt, from Mesopotamia, and move
her to the north ? If you say that, on the whole, is the better thing for us, to get
her away to the north, we must exchange that northern area for the Sykes-Picot
Agreement.
LORD CURZON : If we move her away to the north, we are not bound to give
her the six vilayets and the Caucasus as well.
GENERAL SMUTS : I am afraid you will be forced to do so. If France declines
to make the exchange and insists upon the Sykes-Picot Agreement, then the question
is, what are we going to do in the north ? Either we shall have to go there ourselves—
we shall be sitting there, as a matter of fact, in Trans-Caucasia., for we are there now.
We shall either have to remain there or give it to some Power we can trust; certainly
not to France, and we may have to consider whether we can conciliate Italy and
discharge our obligations to ber by putting her there, especially as we know that, in
any case, Italy will be better than France for us.
LORD CURZON : Will not these matters be decided not merely in their local
topographical relation? When we come to terms with France and try to get rid of
the Sykes-Picot Agreement, it need not be a question of tbe exchange of one area in
Asia Minor for another area in Asia Minor. There are other parts of the world. There
are many French claims in which she will want our support in Europe—the Rhine, for
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