Papers written by Curzon on the Near and Middle East [‎48v] (96/348)

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her feet. On the other hand, it is believed that there are many organisations and
societies in America that would gladly contribute to so excellent a cause. Nor should
Armenians themselves be backward in coming forward in the hour ol their countrv s
need. They cannot expect and they do not desire to depend exclusively upon the
mercy or the charity of others. Wealthy Armenians will, it is felt sure, contribute
largely to that resuscitation of their country for which they have waited so patienth
and amid sufferings so cruel and prolonged; and there may well be a universal
emulation in responding to an appeal than which a more deserving can rarely have
been addressed to the heart and conscience of mankind.
It is not desired to urge upon the United States Government any unreasonable
haste in arriving at a decision upon the momentous questions that have been sub
mitted to them. But it will be obvious to them that so long as these matters are held
in suspense the anxieties of Armenia will be extreme, and the pacification ot the
Eastern world may be seriously and even disastrously postponed.
It would accordingly be an immense relief to all the parties concerned if the
United States Government were in a position to give as early a reply as may be
convenient to all or any of the questions which have here been submitted to them.
Nor can the Supreme Council conclude without expressing a most earnest hope that
that reply may be affirmative in character.
San Remo, April 26. 1920.
ARMENIA.
(Secret.)
Correspondence between the Supreme Council and the Council of the
League of Nations.
I. Telegram from Foreign Office to Lord Derby, for President. League of
Nations, March 12, 1920.
II. Memorandum by the Council of the League of Nations, April 11, 1920.
III. Reply drafted bv Lord Curzon and approved by the Supreme Council on
April 26, 1920.
I.
Cypher telegram to Lord Derby (Paris).
(No. 325. Very Urgent.) R.
Sub-Committee. Foreign Office, March 12. 1920, 5 p.m.
FOLLOWING for the President, League of Nations.
“ The Supreme Council at one of its recent sittings unanimously accepted the
proposition that Armenia should in accordance with the pledges repeatedly given
by the Allied and Associated Powers at various stages of the war and since its con
clusion, be constituted a free and independent State. It had been hoped for long
that the Mandate for this State under the League of Nations, might be accepted
either by America or by some European Power. In the>absence, however, for the time
being of- any Power willing to undertake the task, the Supreme Council have
expressed the desire, which it is proposed to incorporate in the text of the Turkish
Treaty, to place the future Armenian State under the protection of the League of
N ations.
“ This appears to them to be the sole effective guarantee at this juncture for the
successful creation and the future security of the proposed State.
“In these circumstances the Supreme Council are anxious to know with the
east possible delay, whether the Council of the League now sitting in Paris, will be
disposed to accept the obligation.
“ In connection therewith arises the question of the provision of adequate armed
forces to enable Armenia to maintain her independence, and of the material resources
required to promote her future economic development. The first of these subjects
has been carefully examined b}' a special Commission, whose report has been accepted
by the Conference.
“ The Armenians of Frivan have at present an army of some 25.000 men
partially officered by trained officers of the former Russian Army. This is a frame-