Papers written by Curzon on the Near and Middle East [‎21r] (41/348)

[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty’s Government. 1
Printed for the ^Vcir Cabinet. June 11)19.
SECRET.
[82836]
Earl Curzon to the Earl of Derby.
IMv Vord^ Foreign Office, May 30, 1919.
M GAMBON paid me hie weekly call to-day. He had just returned from a visit
to Paris which indeed we had taken in common at the same time. But Ins
confabulations with his Government and their accounts of what was passing at Pans
had not inspired him with any different view from that which he had frequently
expressed to me, of the degree of wisdom with which the future fortunes of the wor
are being determined, or of the nature of the solutions particularly in the pastern
world which seem to find favour among the arbiters of Emope. 1 found some
difficulty in reconciling his account of what had happened at Pans in the preceding
week with what I knew of the facts ; but I record his statements as made to me.
He represented that on a Monday the British representative had practically offered
to France the undisputed mandate for Constantinople, the whole of Anatolia Peninsula that forms most of modern-day Turkey. , Aimenia
if It were not given to the Americans), and Syria ; and two days later had subnntted
the rival proposition that America should receive the mandate for the whole of I urkej,
both in Europe and Asia, including Syria, but excluding Mesopotamia and ah s in .
This suggestion, the Ambassador told me, had excited the vehement wrath of
M Olemenceau who had been inclined to attribute it to my pernicious influence in
Paris M. Canibon had assured him, from his numerous conversations with me that
tliis could not be the case, since I had never favoured any arrangement by which the
French claims to Syria were thus arbitrarily extinguished; and conhimed Ins
recollection bv the further assurance that, in the conversations m which 1 had taken
oart in Paris, the question of Syria had not even been mentioned. .
The incident, which probably rested upon some misunderstanding or misreport of
what had actually happened, is only of value as indicating the passionate intensity wit
which France, while dismteresting herself, for reasons of expediency,
rrmstnntinoole and Asia Minor, means to adhere to her Syrian pretensions.
M. Gambon then recapitulated the heads of the agreement or understanding whic
he had already proposed at the Foreign Office,.of the two disputed subjects of : (a) 1 he
division of civiUnd military control at Constantinople during the military occupation ,
and (b) the division of military commands between Turkey-in-Europe and Turke\-in-
Asia Vs regards (6), Turkey-in-Europe was to be the sphere of the French, lurkey-
Asia of die British commander-in-chief. But the French military control was to
extend over the city, really a portion of Constantinople itself, separated by a broad
channel, on the southern or Asiatic side of the straits, excludingffiow^
which as the starting point of the railway, was to remain m British military liand
Such was the agreement which he had proposed, which we had accepted, and wine
had eauallv been accepted by his Government. He now sought to obtain one iuither
concession viz., that the French should be allowed to retain military control over the
coal-mines' and small port of HeracWe on the Black Sea, wh ‘ C p h 'riLe'war butHtde
and were worked by a French company, though in consequence ot the ^ar but little
lia<l ^fade^to ascertain from his Excellency for exactly what reason, whether amour-
propre or the intention of making a future claim, the French were anxious for the
concession: which indeed the Ambassador said that he only sought as a favour ai ■
would not press if we felt any strong disinclination to grant rt. I promised to look
into the matter, which was new to me. Tnffa Tpnmalem
The Ambassador then raised once more the question of the Jaffa Jerusafe
railway now in British military occupation, and urged that, immediately upon the
signature of peace, the French company which owned it should be indemnilied for the
seizure. His^xcellency also pressed most strongly that M. Pavie, the director of the
company now in Palestine, should be accorded an interview, which had hitherto xc
refused" to him, either with General Allenby or with the Governor of Jerusalei ,
Colonel Storr.
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