Papers written by Curzon on the Near and Middle East [‎173r] (345/348)

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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty’s Government.]
TURKEY. [January 17.]
CONFIDENTIAL. Section 1.
[Ei 573/448/44] No. 1 .
The Marquess Curzon of Kedleston to Mr. Henderson (Constantino'ple).
(No. 72.)
Sir, Foreign Office, January 17, 1924.
YUSSUF KEMAL BEY, the new Turkish representative in London, called upon
me at the Foreign Office this afternoon in order to present his Letter of Appointment.
I had already met him two years ago when he was in London, and was glad to
renew our friendly relations, even although my official connection with him was likely
to be short.
Perhaps from his inability to speak or to read English, he w£s so little aware
of the political situation that he had not realised that in a very short time he would
be dealing with somebody else in my place, and evidently expected from me assurances
which he could only obtain from my successor.
He brought me messages of a very warm and friendly character from Ismet
Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , but did not discuss, any more than did I, any political questions. The only
point upon which he expressed anxiety, and about which I had the right within
certain limits to reassure him, was as regards the ratification of the Lausanne Treaty.
He appeared to share to some extent the Turkish apprehension, which had been
reported from Constantinople, that His Majesty’s Government desired to evade or
to postpone this issue.
I assured him that, so far as I was entitled to speak, he need entertain no such
alarm. Had the Conservative Government remained in power, I should have asked
Parliament to ratify the treaty in December last. The accident of events had
rendered this impossible, and there will probably be a still further delay owing to the
interval that must elapse between the retirement of the present Government and
the resumption of the parliamentary session after the appointment of its successor.
It might therefore be that a period of five or six weeks at least would elapse before
the matter could be taken in hand. Unless, which I thought unlikely, the next
Ministry held different views from our own, I thought that they would be as anxious
as we to conclude the matter, and would introduce the necessary Bill in Parliament
to that effect. For my part, I undertook to exercise any pressure that I could, either
in the House of Lords or elsewhere, to induce them to take this action, and I thought
therefore that no long time ought to elapse before the ratification, which we equally
with the Turks desired, came about.
The Turkish Minister semeed very much pleased at receiving this assurance,
which, he said, he would communicate to his Government.
I am, &c.
CURZON OF KEDLESTON.
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