File 978/1917 Pt 1 'Mesopotamia: administration; occupation of Baghdad; the proclamation; Sir P Cox's position' [‎116r] (236/402)

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Mesopotamia Administration-Committee.
Tor convenience oi reierence abstracts oS (1) the proposals oi the War Cabinet Committee ;
(2) he comments ot Sir Percy Cox; and (3) those o£ the Govermnent ot India are
printed below m parallel columns.
(1) War Cabinet Committee.
(2) Sir Percy Cox.
1. Occupied territories to be
administered not by Government
of India, but by His Majesty's
Government.
1. No comment.
2. Basra to remain perma- i
nently under British administra
tion : western and northern limits
to be Nasiriyeh, Sliatt-el-Hai, Kut,
Bedrai.
* 3. Bagdad to be an Arab state
with local ruler or Government
under British Protectorate in
everything but name. No rela
tions with Foreign Powers; Con
suls to be accredited to His
Maj esty’s G overnment.
4. Behind Arab fayade Bagdad
lo be administered as an Arab
Province by indigenous agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent.
md in accordance with existing
Laws and institutions as far as
possible. In particular :
(a) Irak Code not to be used
but local judicial system
maintained as regards both
law and personnel, only sub
stituting Arab for I urk ;
2. Agrees.
3. Ruler not feasible as no
outstanding personality to fill
part. Proposes an Administrative
Council presided over by High
Commissioner, either one for each
vilayat or a combined one for both
vilayats. Combined Council would
bring into true perspective diver
gent interests of each vilayat, and
would have unquestionable right
to regulate, in accordance with
needs of whole country, such
questions as Indian immigration
and cognate matters.
4.
(a) Agrees that territory
should be administered in
accordance with existing laws
and institutions, and con
vinced of great advantage of
having uniform codes for
Basra and Bagdad and other
Arab provinces under foreign
rule or protection. No essem
tial reason why systems-
established in both vilayats
should not be assimilated.
Turkish judicial system in
cluded final reference to
Constantinople, for which
substitute must he found by
creation of High Court of
Mesopotamia with final appeal
(3) Government of India.
1. Readily accept decision ; but
India’s share in the conquest of
these territories, in which her
interests, commercial, political,
and religions, are already large,
must be recognised. Any restric
tion of free Indian immigration
into Irak would cause bitter and
legitimate resentment. Provision
of a definite field for expansion
elsewhere, preferably in East
Africa, would tend to satisfy India
and check undue flow into Irak ;
hut in any case, in view of Indian
pilgrimage and trade interests,
desirable to post an officer of Go
vernment of India to Basra and
perhaps Bagdad to advise local
administration on such questions.
2. No remai’ks.
3. Entirely agree with Sir P.
Cox that precise constitution of
Arab State at Bagdad under
British Protectorate cannot be
decided at once. Experience of
puppet rulers in India and
Afghanistan not encouraging.
Endorse Sir P. Cox’s suggestion
(under head 13) as to appointment
of a Commission to examine whole
problem on the spot.
4.
(«.) No remarks.
S 356 40 5/17
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