Miscellaneous papers on the Near and Middle East [‎8r] (15/70)

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^This Document Is the Property of His Britannic Majesty’s GovernmenE,
and should be returned to the Foreign Office when done with
unless required for official use.]
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RUooL-v
Not for se c tions . DE^^ NTI/IENTAL
Cyp’aer t e legram to Sir G „3uchanan (Petrograd).
Foreign Office, February 9th 1916. 5 p c m.
No.377* (D).
Negotiations were some time ago opened by tne
Sherif .of Mecca with His Majesty’s Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. in Egypt in
"regard to Arab aspirations, and, with a view to detach,
if possible, the Arabs from the side of the Turks,
such overtures were encouraged*
It soon became apparent that the Arabs expected
as a sine qua non condition of their entiy into the
- war on the side of the Entente to be guaranteed a free
Arab State or Confederation of States: and it became
essential, therefore, to arrive at some understanding
with the French on the question, in view of their in
terests in Syria.
During the discussions as to the delimitation
of the future Arab State or Confederation, it was
inevitable but that some definition as to French and
British desiderata in Asiatic Turkey should be examined*
As you will remember, the presentation of such desider
ata was reserved when the two Governments agreed to
Russian desiderata regarding Constantinople and the
Straits (see my telegrams Nos. 43 Private and Secret
of March 11th 1915 and 329 of March 10th 1915).
You should explain to tie Minister for Foreign
Affairs that it has been agreed and clearly understood
by
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