Papers of the Interdepartmental Conference on Middle Eastern Affairs [‎68v] (136/290)

part of the frontier in which we cou'ld possibly support Persian
claims for extension of territory. It was inconceivable that
Denikin or Koltchak, or whatever Government should eventually
be set up in Russia would agree to the Persian claim for Sarakhs.
Any extension in the direction of the old Turco-Persian boundaiy
would involve long negotiations beginning with the ratification
of the agreement of 1914. He was of opinion that Sir Percy Cox
should be consulted on the possibility of drafting a letter in less
ambitious and less compromising language.
The Conference decided that this suggestion should be made
in the proposed telegram to Sir Percy Cox.
12. The Conference then proceeded to discuss Sir Percy Cox s
telegrams Nos. 262, 263, and 263 A. of the 11th April.
The Chairman said he strongly objected to the idea that we
should bribe the Persians into accepting the proposed agreement,
though it was well known that a little backsheesh was essential
to the completion of negotiations with Orientals. With regard
to the Shah’s demands, he pointed out that the Kajar dynasty
were not Persian at all, and were cordially detested in Persia.
If it were really necessary to give the assurances demanded, he
would prefer the first alternative in Sir Percy Cox’s telegram
No. 293 of the 19th April, viz., that the Shah and his successors
should have our friendly support. It was out of the question that
we should promise to pay the Shah a life subsidy of 25,000 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value.
a month, as a republic might be set up at some future time in
Persia, and His Majesty’s Government might then be committed
to supporting a deposed monarch merely because he had once
affixed his signature to a document in which he was no longer
interested.
With regard to the Triumvirate’s claims, he thought that we
really could not proceed with these important negotiations on
purely oriental lines. If the Persians persisted in employing
oriental methods there was a danger that the whole agreement
might break down. It was in any case out of the question that
we should give the personal guarantees asked for by the Trium
virate, which gave a rather poor idea of these three Persian
Statesmen. He proposed, as a result of this discussion, to tele
graph to Sir Percy Cox explaining Treasury objections, and also
pointing out our own legitimate scruples.
The Conference decided that the Foreign Office should tele
graph to Sir Percy Cox in the sense suggested.
(Initialled) C. of K.
Foreiqn Office,
May 7, 1919.