Typescript and printed cabinet papers and parliamentary papers on events in Egypt [‎118r] (235/520)

81
view to the formation of a Ministry, and in January he submitted
proposals with that object to this Government. The gist of these was
that Great Britain should immediately terminate the Protecorate and
recognise Egypt as an independent Sovereign State, reserving for
future discussion and agreement the measures necessary to protect
the special interests of the British Empire in Egypt. \Ve regarded
these proposals as inadmissible, since the form of reservation
proposed appeared to us inadequate as a guarantee for our special
interests, which would rest on no juridical basis when Protectorate
was terminated, and would therefore depend only on such agreements
as Egyptian Ministers might in future be prepared to negotiate. We
accordingly suggested an alternative procedure under which we would
declare our readiness to recommend the termination of the
Protectorate to Parliament as soon as Egyptian Ministers had
concluded agreements with us sufficiently safeguarding British
interests. Lord Allenby declared that this proposal would be
inconsistent with his own undertakings to Egyptian statesmen, and
that he could not hold out any hope of securing an Egyptian
Ministry to take office upon it. We thereupon asked him to come
home for consultation, which has led to very satisfactory results.
As all recent negotiations have been without results it has been
decided to proceed to the termination of the Protectorate on the
basis of a unilateral declaration which is telegraphed to you herewith.
This pronouncement, while recognising Egypt as an independent
sovereign State, lays down the position which we claim in Egypt
vis-a-vis all other Powers, and enumerates the matters in which the
maintenance of our special position is vital to Imperial security. In
all these matters the stains quo is maintained, but we declare our
willingness to negotiate specific agreements upon them with the
Egyptian Government at some later date when they desire it and
circumstances promise success. In the meantime the Egyptians
will be free to develop national institutions in accordance with their
aspirations.
In communicating the substance of this declaration to foreign
Powers, we propose to announce that the termination of the British
Protectorate over Egypt involves no change in the status quo as regards
the position of other Powers in Egypt. We propose to declare that the
welfare and integrity of Egypt are necessary to the peace and safety
of the British Empire, which will therefore always maintain as an
essential British interest the special relations between itself and
Egypt long recognised by other Governments. In calling attention
to"these special relations as defined in the declaration recognising
Egypt’s independence, we propose to declare that we will not admit
them to be questioned or discussed by any other Power; that we
will regard as an unfriendly act any attempt at interference in the
affairs of Egypt by another Power; and that we will consider any
aggression against the territory of Egypt as an act to be repelled
with all the means at our command.
The declaration is to be handed to the Sultan by Lord Allenby
on 28th February. It will be presented to Parliament here the same
afternoon. Text follows in separate telegram.
D. LLOYD GEOBGE.”