Papers of the Interdepartmental Conference on Middle Eastern Affairs [‎47r] (93/290)

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issues of general policy which the Chairman had since put to the
meeting.
The Chairman said it was difficult to arrive at a decision. The
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. from a political, and the War Office from a military point
of view were in favour of a complete evacuation. The Government
of India agreed with them. On the other side we had Cox, Douglas,
Hotson, Orton, and Oliphant, all men with wide local knowledge and
experience, giving weighty reasons against evacuation.
We might hope shortly to learn the line which the Persian
delegates weue going to take. Mr. Oliphant would see the Persian
Minister to-morrow. If prospects were favourable it might be to our
advantage to spend this three-quarters of a million, and it seemed
advisable to adjourn further discussion till the attitude of the Persian
delegates was more definitely known. This would*be a matter of a
few days only.
Meantime, as the retention of the whole force was clearly out of
the question, and as all parties had agreed to a partial withdrawal,
preliminary operations should be set in hand at once for the with
drawal of troops within the limits proposed by the G.O.C., Bushire.
The question as to what was to be done with the remainder, and the
question of whether huts would be required, could be adjourned to
the next meeting.
The Conference decided —
( 1 .) That a telegram be sent by the 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. to the Viceroy
informing him that the final decision between his
proposals and those of the G.O.C., Bushire, will be
communicated in a few days, and asking him to proceed
at once with measures for withdrawal of troops within
the limits agreed to by the G.O.C., Bushire.
( 2 .) That the final decision on the question of evacuation be
postponed till after Mr. Oliphant’s interview with the
Persian Minister.
Trans-Caspia.
Malleson’s
Mission.
Incidence of Cost
2 . Mr. Shuckburgh suggested the question of the incidence of
cost of Malleson's Mission could be dealt with more suitably in
writing by the departments concerned.
The Conference agreed.
(Initialled) C. of K.
Foreign Office,
March 21, 1919.