Papers of the Interdepartmental Conference on Middle Eastern Affairs [‎135r] (269/290)

[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty’s Governmentj
Printed for the Foreign Office. June 1920.
SECRET.
I.D.C.E., 40th Minutes.
FOREIGN OFFICE.
INTER-DEPARTMENTAL CONFERENCE ON MIDDLE EASTERN AFFAIRS.
Minutes of an Inter-Departmental Meeting held at the Foreign Office on Tuesday,
June 1, 1920, at 5 p.m.
Present:
The Right Hon. the Earl Curzon of Kedleston, K.G., G.C.S.I., G.C.I.E.
(in the Chair).
The Right Hon. E. S. Montagu, M.P.,
Secretary of State for India, 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, C.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. C. C. Garbett, C.I.E., 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. .
Sir John Tilley, K.C.M.G., Assistant
Under-Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs.
Mr. R. G. Vansittart, C.M.G., M.Y.O.,
Foreign Office.
Lieutenant - Colonel W. H. Gribbon,
C. M.G., War Office.
Brevet Colonel C. A. C. Godwin, C.M.G.,
D. S.O., War Office.
Lieutenant R. C. D. Fletcher, R.N.,
Admiralty.
Commander G. H. Lang, D.S.O., R.N.,
Admiralty.
Wing Commander J. A. Chamier, C.M.G.,
D.S.O., iUr Ministry.
Sir George Barstow, K.C. B., Treasury.
Major H. W. Young, D.S.O. (Secretary).
1. Air Forces in Wing Commander Chamier called attention to the telegram of
Mesopotamia. 15 th May from the Civil Commissioner, Baghdad, and pointed
out certain inaccuracies in the description of the Air Force machines
available in Mesopotamia. On the suggestion of Mr. Montagu it
was decided that the Air Ministry should write officially through the
War Office to 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. pointing out the correct state of
affairs.
2. Future
Constitution of
Mesopotamia.
132
The Chairman said that at Mr. Montagu’s request he proposed,
before resuming the discussion on the draft mandate for Mesopotamia,
to consider 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 of the 20th May on the subject of a
possible ad interim constitution during the two years before the
Organic Law was set up. "(he proposals of 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. were a
modification of the scheme suggested by Sir Edgar Bonham-Carter’s
Committee in Baghdad. They also raised the question of the return
of Sir Percy Cox to Mesopotamia. Some doubts had been expressed
as to the advisability of moving Sir Percy Cox in view of the
delicate political situation in Persia. He was of opinion that, in
spite of recent events, Sir Percy Cox would be able to leave Persia
as soon as Mr. Norman had taken over charge. The Caspian
situation had calmed down and the Bolsheviks had apparently no
intention of invading Persia ; even if they did, the concentration of
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