Papers of the War Cabinet's Eastern Committee [‎228v] (456/544)

4
Persian Kurdistan.
Trans-Caspia:
The question of
the withdrawal of
General Malleson’s
Force.
'pilgrimage or trade. Equally the King of the Hejaz should not he
allowed to he represented hy agents at foreign Courts.
(>. It is not worth while to dispute about the title “ King of the
Arah Countries,” ichich has already been assumed by King Ilusein.
But we should refuse to recognise, any inferences which he may draw
from it as to his status, and the question of his suzerainty should
not be setttled hy us. The attitude of Mesopotamia and of the
principal chieftains of the interior and the coast appears to render
it certain that his extreme claims will not be accepted by them.
* 7. It is not desirable that the King of the Hejaz should continue
after the war to be directly subsidised either by Great Britain or any
other Christian Power. The subvention formerly paid, to him by the
Turks should be replaced, as far as possible, by annual subventions
from the Arab State of Syria and possibly from the Arab States of
Mesopotamia. These subventions might be paid to him as Keeper of
the Holy Places. There would, however, be no objection to the pay
ment to him of a joint subsidy by Great Britain, France, and Italy,
as Poirers ruling large Moslem populations, for protecting the
interests of their pilgrims. In any case, the King should not suffer
pecuniarily from the change in his political position.
S. The Hejaz should not be called upon to contribute any annuity
to the service of the Ottoman Public Debt.
9. It is hoped by an international convention to secure the
prohibition of the export of arms and ammunition to all States in
Asia Minor and Arabia which do not ask for a European A.dvisory
Power; but, in view of its peculiar position, some special provisions
would have to be made in the case of the Hejaz. Meanwhile, steps
should be taken to prevent excessive importation of arms into that
country.
10. It is desirable that His Majesty's Government should abstain
from any interference in the question of the Khalifate or the choice
of a Khalif.
(A verbatim report of the discussion appears in the Annex to
these Minutes.)
4. Mr. Montagu referred to a series of telegrams which had
passed between his Department and the Political Officer, Baghdad
(E.C. 2630, 2662, and 2665), relating to a request from the people of
Persian Kurdistan that the British Government should extend their
assistance and protection to them, and to attach them to Iraq, in
return for which they would undertake to accept orders and advice
from the British Government. Mr. Montagu said that he proposed
to reply in the general sense that His Majesty’s Government were
pledged to preserve the integrity of Persia.
1 he Committee decided .—
To approve a telegram being sent in the above sense.
5. With reference to the Meeting of the Committee on the 16th
instant (E.C.-43rd Meeting, Minute 2), the Committee had before
them Viceroy’s telegram No. 16538, dated the 10th December, 1918
(E.C.-2693), giving the views of the Indian Government as to the
importance, from the Indian point of view, of maintaining General
Malleson’s force in Trans-Caspia, and as to the tenabihty of his
position if the Askabad Government collapses.
Mr. Montagu said that, according to General Malleson, unless we
continued to give financial support to the Askabad Government it
was hound to collapse. The position was that we could not continue
this financial assistance. The Indian Government suggested that
Malleson’s troops should now be withdrawn across the border. He
himself favoured this course, but suggested that they should remain
until the Austro-German prisoners had been evacuated. If the