Papers of the Interdepartmental Conference on Middle Eastern Affairs [‎65v] (130/290)

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The Chairman, reviewing the position, said that for a long
time past His Majesty's Government had been endeavouring to
come to some agreement with Persia. It was with this object in
view that Sir Percy Cox, one of the ablest representatives ot His
Majesty’s Government in that part of the world, had been sent to
Teheran. He had been there now for some months, and had estab
lished the closest relations with the Prime Minister, Vossugh-ed-
Dowleh, and the two colleagues who with him formed what was
referred to in the correspondence before the Conference as the
“ Triumvirate." The Triumvirate were of opinion that the pro
posed agreement made for the real good of their country. 1 he
Shah, who was not really a factor in Persian politics, but who
could not altogether be ignored, was also apparently in favour of
the proposed agreement, and had postponed his proposed visit to
Europe in order to be present when it was concluded. Sir Percy
Cox, in consultation with the Foreign Office and the Triumvirate,
had produced in his telegram No. 258 of the 10th April, 1919, a
draft agreement, on which the views of the Treasury and the India
Office had been obtained, and were now before the Conference.
(Treasury letters Nos. 16251 and 17616 of the 21st and 23rd April,
and 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. letter No. 2307 of the 3rd May, 1919.)
The position had been somewhat complicated by what might
be described as the typical Oriental proceedings which were going *
on in Paris. Mushaver, the Persian Minister for Foreign Affairs,
and two of his colleagues had been knocking at the doors of the
Peace Conference for some time; they had so far been successfully
put off by Mr. Balfour and Lord Hardinge, and had not yet
obtained an entry, nor did it appear likely they would do so.
They had been indulging in a flirtation with the Americans—it
was not clear to what extent this was more than platonic—and
they had also had some conversations with the French, but chiefly
on minor points in which the French had always had (legitimate
interests, such as the employment of French professors and
archaeologists. Meanwhile, the Persian Ministers at Teheran had
not been keeping Mushaver informed of their negotiations with
Sir Percy Cox, except by occasional obscure telegrams. The result
had been that Mushaver was profoundly puzzled. He thought
that he was being kept in the dark, and was not at all confident
that his position at Paris was secure. From the point of view of
His Majesty's Government he must be definitely looked upon at
this stage as hostile. If the proposed negotiations were successful
he would be recalled, and his tentative activities would come to an
inglorious end.
Sir Percy Cox’s proposals had been generally approved by
the Foreign Office, with the exception of certain points on which *
the Chairman now invited the judgment of the Conference. He
was of opinion that they formed the basis of a sound and honour
able agreement between the two Governments. They would result
in Persia being to a certain extent in the hands of His Majesty’s
Government, but she would be able to avoid the ignominy of being
placed under a mandate. The degree to which she would be in
the hands of His Majesty’s Government was to be discussed at
this meeting. It was proposed that she should be provided with
various British advisers, but there had been some discussion on
the question of her accepting advisers from other foreign Powers.
Generally speaking, the Foreign Office were in favour of the
proposed agreement.
The Government of India had taken up a consistently
unfavourable attitude. Their policy was to leave Persia alone. •
They were not averse from a measure of financial assistance, but
they deprecated the provision of British advisers. On the other
hand, 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. did not, at this stage, support the objections
of the Government of India, whose apprehensions they considered
to be exaggerated. They were inclined to think that Sir Percy