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Papers of the War Cabinet's Eastern Committee [232v] (464/544)
The record is made up of 1 file (272 folios). It was created in 13 Mar 1918-7 Jan 1919. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
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MR. BALFOUR : I do not want to extend the discussion more than I can help,
hut this matter re;dly touches one of our greatest British interests, and one which I do
not see how to protect in these negotiations. Personally, 1 believe that we should gain,
on the whole, if we did not acquire some of the colonies and areas which very likely we
sh di acquire in this war, and if, in exchange, we could really secure, not as a ma'ter of
contract merely, but as a matter of practice as well as contract, that Italy and France
never intrigue against us in any of these semi-civilised countries. All the troubles or the
Foreign Office, since I have been a member of it, have been brought about^ by matters
raised by officials locking alter the twopenny-halfpenny and very often corrupt
interests of France or Italy, or serving small, narrow, nationalistic objects. 1 hey have
raised endless friction with the Foreign Office, and it we could really leave the French
and Italians in their own areas, without ever interfering with them, and bring ah ait
reciprocity, I believe the greatest British interests would be satisfied. I would much
rather have that than some of the colonies we possess or are likely to get, I am
strongly in favour of that, and I should like to extend it as far as 1 could, and I should
like to make it, if I could, a matter of bargaining at the Conference. I do not know
how to do it, hut perhaps somebody else is dexterous enough to think of something we
could give, as it were, to the French and the Italians, not bargaining oyer the Hejaz
here, or over this area there, or that area, but a universal bargain covering the whole
of these districts. Something like we did in the original Entente arrangement of 1 904
would be a perfect godsend, 1 think, to the holder ot my office and to all his successors,
and would really have an important effect.
LORD CURZON : It is difficult for us to find geographical areas to which you
can applv that kind of formula, and it is difficult for them.
MR. BALFOUR : They do not want to do it. You say they will want something
in exchange. That is the trouble. We really want to do it. YVe do not want to make
a bother about it, but they do not want to do it at all.
LORD ROBERT CECIL : The point here is that we have got a definite
recognition by the French as far as this area is concei ned,
MR. BALLOUR : That is so, but it does not come to anything.
LORD ROBERT CECIL : I agree. We have this definite recognition by the
French, and I do not see that we should gain anything by asking for that recognition to
be repeated.
MR. BALFOUR : I think it is as well to assume a thing if you have got it.
LORD ROBERT CECIL : Therefore, this first paragraph really amounts to this,
that we should ask for a recognition by the Italians. I confess 1 have some doubts as
to whether it is worth while to ask for recognition by the Italians here.
MR. BALFOUR : I do not think it is as regards this, but it is important if it is
coupled with everything else.
LORD ROBERT CECIL : You must consider what the Italians are like. If you
have a recognition by the Italian Government that they have nointeiest in Arabia, that
would not prevent an Italian official trying to get in if he could.
MR. BALFOUR : They are not so bad as the French. The French are trying to
start a bank there.
LORD ROBERT CECIL : They will try perpetually. Bremond and another
carried on a most elaborate intrigue the whole time.
LORD CURZON : Would you prefer this—it assumes, of course, a new
agreement—-“ It is desirable to adhere to the recognition of the special position of
Great Britain in Arabia given by the French Government in the correspondence and
negotiations of 1910 and 1917.”
LORD ROBERT CECIL : Certainly. I have no objection to that.
LORD CURZON : If Mr. Balfour finds it possible to bring in Italy at any stage,
so much the better. That would be free irom the objection raised by Lord Robert Cecil.
MR. BALFOUR : Is it not open to the more serious objection that it excludes
the French and includes the Italians ?
About this item
- Content
This file is composed of papers produced by the War Cabinet's Eastern Committee, which was chaired by George Curzon for most of its existence. The file contains a complete set of printed minutes, beginning with the committee's first meeting on 28 March 1918, and concluding with its final meeting on 7 January 1919 (ff 6-214 and ff 227-272).
The file begins with two copies of a memorandum by Curzon, dated 13 March 1918, proposing the formation of the Eastern Committee. This is followed by a memorandum by Arthur James Balfour, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, approving Curzon's proposal, and a copy of a procedure for the newly created committee, outlining arrangements for committee meetings and the dissemination of information to committee members.
Also included is a set of resolutions, passed by the committee in December 1918, in order to guide British representatives at the Paris Peace conference (ff 216-225). The resolutions cover the following: the Caucasus and Armenia; Syria; Palestine; Hejaz and Arabia; Mesopotamia, Mosul, Baghdad and Basra. They are preceded by a handwritten note written by Curzon 'some years later', which remarks on how they are a 'rather remarkable forecast of the bulk of the results since obtained.'
- Extent and format
- 1 file (272 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the front to the rear of the file.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 272; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.
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- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- Mss Eur F112/274
- Title
- Papers of the War Cabinet's Eastern Committee
- Pages
- 1r:214v, 216r:272v
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence