Papers of the Interdepartmental Conference on Middle Eastern Affairs [‎85v] (170/290)

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o tj- •wt-m n +V>Qf tliP. sppnnd and third points in the AVar
evacuated Transcaucasia.
LI y 1I1LI, tU IdloC/ UO ^ ^ /-I *
far as we were concerned, he had no business to do so, an a j
officer could do all that was necessary. . . , 1
omcer cuuia uu axi ujjcii; ^ • . .
The Batum province was at present administered by a
British military governor, acting through a local council which,
at least to begin with, had contained representatives ot all the
different races.
He was unable to say
to what extent taxes were being collected
in the province. .
The War Office did not expect that the evacuating British forces
would be clear of Batum until from two to three months after the
15th August, the date on which the evacuation was to commence.
The Chairman enquired what Missions there were in the
Caucasus. The Italians had the remnant of a Mission there and we
were proposing to send one out under Mr. W^aidrop.
Cmeral Radelife stated that from the purely military point of
view the War Office did not wish to leave anyone at Tifhs after the
evacuation. If a military Mission were left, it was certain in time to
ask for equipment or supplies and this would raise financial questions
which the War Office were anxious to avoid.
I/r. Gregory said that Lieutenant-Colonel McAlpine s mission,
which had been sent out in the first instance by the Supreme
Economic Council, was operati ng in the vicinity of Novorossisk.
Mr. War dr op, in reply to the Chairman, said that his head-
quarters would be at Tiflis, where he expected to arrive soon after
the evacuation had begun. His stall would consist of Mr. Waite,
Air. Grundy, and Captain Gracey. He thought his position at
Tiflis would be possible, even if no British troops were left, but it
would be very much better that some should remain, even if only at
Batura. He did not despair of exercising a pacific} and restraining
influence on the Transcaucasian republics.
He suggested that he should communicate with the British
officer attached to General Denikin through London. At the same
time, if, as seemed likely, there was no telegraphic communication
between Tiflis and Vladikavkaz, he would be prepared to meet our
liaison officer at the latter place.
Continuing, Mr. II ardrop said that the population of Batum
district were Moslems but also Georgians. There were only a few
Armenians and hardly any Turks or Kurds. The population was
essentially homogeneous, and it was a natural development that
Georgia should take in Batum and the Lazes, though those on the
Turkish side of the old frontier could not be assimilated at once.
If the Georgians had not asked for Batum, it was because they
took it for granted they would get it.
Mr. Kidston pointed out that Batum had been a separate
province under the Kussians.
Mr. Wardrop, in reply to the Chairman, said that the Georgians
would hold their own if we restrained Denikin and gave them
Batum. They were accustomed to administer their own country
and had done so until something over a century ago. They might
make friends with the Bolsheviks if pressed by Denikin, but they
were the last people in the world to turn Bolshevik themselves. He
would admit that the present administration was to some extent