Papers of the Interdepartmental Conference on Middle Eastern Affairs [‎69r] (137/290)

[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty s Government.j
Printed for the Foreign Office. June J919.
SECRET.
I.D.C.E., 19th Minutes.
FOREIGN OFFICE.
INTER-DEPARTMENTAL CONFERENCE ON MIDDLE EASTERN AFFAIRS.
Minutes of Meeting held at the Foreign Office on Thursday, May PI, 1919, at 5'30 p.m.
Present :
The Right Hon. the Earl Curzon of Kedleston, K.G., G.C.S.I., G.C.I.E.
(in the Chair).
Admiral Sir Rosslyn Wemyss, G.C.B.,
C. M.G., M.V.O., First Sea Lord and
Chief of Naval Stall*, Admiralty.
Captain C. P. R. Goode, D.S.O., Director,
Operations Division (Foreign), Ad
miralty.
Brigadier-General R. M. Groves, C.B.,
D. S.O., A.F.C., Air Ministry.
Brigadier-General W. H. Bartholomew,
C.M.G., D.S.O., War Office.
\
Brigadier-General W. M. St. G. Kirke,
C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., War Office.
Mr. A. McFadyean, Treasury.
Lieutenant-General Sir M. Y. Cox, K.C.B.,
K.C.M.G., C.S.I., 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. .
Mr. J. E. Shuckburgh, O.B., 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. .
Mr. G. J. Kidston, Foreign Office.
Professor J. Y. Simpson, Foreign Office.
Major. H. W. Young, D.S.O. (Secretary).
Evacuation of the The Chairman said that the Conference had met to discuss the
Caspian. very difficult question of the evacuation of the Caucasus and the
Caspian, which was not made easier by our complete ignorance of
the intentions of the Italians. It was unnecessary to remind the
Conference that when we had been looking out for some one to take
over our military responsibilities in the Caucasus—and it was
difficult to understand how anyone could have been eager to accept
them—the suggestion had been made to the Italians that they
should relieve us, and they had at once accepted it. The taking over
of the naval forces in the Caspian was included in this proposition,
since it tvas impossible to discriminate between naval and military
responsibilities. A certain number of Italian naval officers had
already been despatched with a view to taking over the fleet, and a
mission under the son of the Due dAosta had also proceeded to the
Caucasus to report on the general question of Italian occupation.
He was not aware whether any report had been received from this
mission or from the Italian naval representatives, but the Prime
Minister had informed him two days ago in Paris that the Italians
had now thought better of their first decision, and were showing
some reluctance to carry out the obligations which they had under
taken with such alacrity. While this information had not been
officially confirmed, it had been communicated to him with a full
sense of responsibility, and it must naturally affect the deliberations
[987]—G82