Papers written by Curzon on the Near and Middle East [‎130r] (259/348)

t-This Pr ^Peny of His Britann ic Majesty’s Government, j
^ASTERN (Iurkey). [February 14.]
CONFIDENTIAL. Section 1.
[E 1736/5/44] No. 1.
The Marquess Curzon of Kedleston to Sir R. Graham (Rome).
(No. 128.) V 7
^ r > ^ Foreign Office, February 14, 1922.
THE Italian Ambassador, in the course of a conversation with me this afternoon,
made a number of observations on different aspects of the European situation, namely,
the projected Near Eastern Conference at Paris, the Genoa Conference and other
matters which it is not necessary to relate here, hut which left on my mind the general
impression that Paris is doing what it can to disturb the close understanding that has
recently grown up between the Italian Government and ourselves, and to win Italv
over to her side. The conversation that took place between us on these subjects gave
me an opportunity of making a statement to his Excellency which it seems of greater
importance to place on record.
I reminded him that ever since the Marquis della Torretta had assumed office 1
had pursued a policy of absolute candour and sincerity with him, assuming throughout
that our interests and objects in the East were identical, that our point of view was on
the whole the same, and that we were going to Paris with a single-hearted desire to
bring the French into line with us in order to arrive at a common solution. As regards
the Italian aspect of the case, arising out of the Tripartite Agreement, I had always
promised the Italian Government our loyal assistance in enabling her to obtain the
substance of the advantages which that agreement had secured for her, even although
it was impossible, owing to the changed circumstances, to secure them in the same form.
Exactly what pressure it might be possible to bring to bear on the Angora Government
it was beyond my power to predict ; but, so i'ar as Great Britain was concerned, she
was willing to adhere to and to implement the self-denying ordinance into which
she had entered at San Remo, and to do her best to help Italy to realise her aims. In
these circumstances I told the Ambassador that I was a good deal surprised and
distressed at the evidence which more than once reached me in the last few weeks of
an inclination on the part of Italy to make a bargain out of her support, and even to
threaten its withdrawal unless at Paris or elsewhere we did exactly what she desired.
This astonishment on my part had reached its culminating point when only this
morning I had received a telegram from your Excellency recording an interview
yesterday with the Marquis della Torretta, in which the latter had sought an early
expression ot my views with regard to the Italian financial proposals in Turkey,
inasmuch as the whole attitude of the Italian Government on the question of the Near
East would depend on what they were. The Marquis della Torretta had added that
much pressure was being brought to bear on him from Paris to take the French side
in the forthcoming discussions, and that if His Majesty’s Government felt able to accept
the Italian proposals and support them, we could count on his whole-hearted support, but
otherwise we could not be assured of it.
This, I said to Signor de Martino, was an attitude on the part of his Government
which seemed to me quite unworthy and to indicate a spirit which was not at all
hopeful for the success of our discussions. I had hitherto believed that the Italian
Government, like ourselves, were going into the conference, not with the idea of
extracting individual advantage from it or of holding a pistol at each other’s head if we
did not obtain it, but of bringing about a cessation of the warfare and a return of peace
to the East. I for my part could not approach the conference in any other spiiit, and
must decline to yield to any pressure of the sort to which I had referred.
His Excellency agreed cordially with me in admitting the impropriety of the
attitude reported in the telegram from you, if it correctly represented what the Italian
Minister for Foreign Affairs had said, and I feel sure that he will convey to his chief the
reproach which my protest involved.
I am, Ac.
CURZON OF KEDLESTON.