Papers of the Interdepartmental Conference on Middle Eastern Affairs [‎66v] (132/290)

Draft Agreement.
Preamble and
Clause 1.
Clause 2.
Clause 3 .
any circumstanoes, but he could quite conceive of circumstances
in which a state of public feeling might arise in Persia which
would result in our asking ourselves whether it was advisable for
us to reconsider our policy, and to modify our relations with the
Persian Government.
Mr. Montagu added that he felt considerable sympathy for
Mushaver. Deluded, insufficiently informed, and doing no good,
he was really an obstacle to the good of his country. He had at
one time hoped that Mushaver might be induced to cease his efforts
to obtain recognition at the Peace Conference.
The Chairman said that it had always been a moot point
whether Mushaver should be invited over to London to discuss our
relations with the Persian Government and his own position, but
for various reasons it had been considered inadvisable to do so.
He was grateful to Mr. Montagu for concurring in his general
conclusions, and suggested that the Conference should now proceed
to discuss the proposed agreement in detail.
(Sir Percy Cox’s telegram No. 258 of the 10th April.)
1. The Conference concurred.
2. The Chairman said that in Foreign Office telegram Noi. 225
of the 17th April the insertion of the word “ all ” before the words
“such expert advisers ” had been suggested, and Sir Percy Cox
Lad concurred in his telegram No. 308 of the 25th April. He was
a little afraid of the word “all,” which called up a picture of a
larger number of advisers than he understood to be contemplated.
Sir Percy Cox had explained in his telegram No. 324 of the 30th
April that there was no need to dismiss foreigners now in Persia or
to object to the engagement of a foreigner if we approved of him.
At the same time we did not wish the Persian Government to go
elsewhere for advisers if we could avoid it. He now suggested
the substitution of “ whatever expert advisers ” for “ such expert
advisers.”
Mr. Montagu referred to the phrase “ may be necessary,”
and asked who was to decide whether advisers were necessary or
not. Was it to be His Majesty's Government or the Persian
Government? He pointed out that if this clause were left as
originally worded it might give the impression that the British «
Government were to be responsible for providing all advisers
considered necessary by the Persian Government.
After some discussion, the Conference decided that the
Foreign Office should consult Sir Percy Cox, and suggest to him
that the clause might be re-worded as follows:—
“ British Government will supply, at the cost of Persian
Government, the services of whatever expert advisers may,
after consultation between the two Governments, be found
necessary for the several departments of the Persian
Administration.”
(Here Mr. Baldwin left the Conference.)
3. The Chairman pointed out that the expression “in the
direction of” was ambiguous. He suggested the substitution of
“in respect of.”