File of printed papers marked 'Egyptian negotiation' between Curzon and Adly Pasha and the Egyptian delegation [‎51v] (102/178)

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Rushdi Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. said that he supposed that Belgium would continue to rely upon
guarantees in the future.
Lord Curzon said that, on the other hand, the Belgians had found the old
arrangement so had, that they were now continually endeavouring to arrive at some
new agreement to provide for the presence of troops when needed in the future.
Rushdi Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. said that he supposed that this arrangement would not exclude the
occupation of Belgian territory by foreign troops in peace time.
Lord Curzon said that Belgium and Egypt did not admit of a close comparison.
This question of the troops was one with regard to which he must speak rather
seriously. I he feeling in Great Britain was very strong on the subject. It was no
good his exchanging further notes with the delegation. They must come to some
understanding. He was ready to meet them with regard to other points. But in this
matter he could hold out no prospects of giving way. He urged them to think the
matter over. He had much rather discuss with them where the troops were to be and
the numbers to be maintained. Egypt was not in a position to argue that she had as
yet vindicated her independence. It might be that in five or ten years they would
have done so. In fact, the delegation had said themselves that a time would come
when no British troops would be required even to protect Imperial communications.
This might be the case for the other purposes, hut Lord Curzon could not admit that
Imperial communications could ever be left in other than British hands. If the British
Government were to say in the House of Commons that they had agreed only to
maintain 1,500 or 2,000 men in Egypt, and those exclusively for the protection of
Imperial communications, he would not <>ive much for the life of that Governmenk. He
did not wish to threaten; it would,*in fact, be improper for him to do so. He would
3riously over what he had said. He would add
thought that possibly they might wish to offer a
few observations.
Adly Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. said that Lord Curzon had passed from point to point without waiting
for the observations of the delegation, and he would now like to say a few words, not,
perhaps, that they would produce much result, but he felt bound to say something by
way of defence in the matter of the troops. After their previous discussion he under
stood Lord Curzon to say that he would think out the text of some clause in a treaty.
Lord Curzon replied that he had thought it would be better to express the matter
in the agreement in general terms, and leave it for the British Government to discuss
from time to time with the Egyptian Government where the troops should be retained.
It might to-day be necessary to have them in some place where in a few years’ time
they would not be required. He would ask them to consider Alexandria with a
population of some 70,000 foreigners—an enormous proportion. To-day the British
Government might w T ell say that British troops must be close at hand to protect these
foreigners, whereas, after some years, the necessity might disappear. For this reason
he would prefer to leave the matter vague so long as Britain’s right to maintain troops
was recognised. Before they could go much further it was essential that they should
get rid of the idea that there was a distinction between peace time and war, for no
British Government could possibly accept such a distinction.
Adly Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. said that Lord Curzon had referred to the possibility of troops not
being required at Alexandria at some future date. Did he not therefore envisage the
eventual state of affairs when the troops could be relegated to some zone?
Lord Curzon said that he was not prepared to commit himself so far, but he did
not think it would be unreasonable to say that any agreement arrived at with regard
to this point might be revised, say, in five or in ten years. Such revision could be
arranged for in one of two ways, either by fixing a definite period at which revision
should take place or by saying that the arrangement was liable to revision at any
moment.
Adly Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. enquired 'whether the whole question of maintenance of any troops in
Egypt might not be liable to revision.
Lord Curzon replied that he w'ould like to take the delegation to No. 10, Downing
Street, so that they could hear what the Dominion Premiers would have to say on that
subject.
urge the delegation to think very s
nothing more on this occasion, but he