Papers on British policy and the Arab movement [‎2v] (6/380)

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of an independent Sovereign State.” They added, however, that “ it is not possible to
define at this stage exactly how much territory should be included in this State.
That question was raised in July 1915 by Sherif Iluseiu in his Hist letter to
Sir H. McMahon, the first of the conditions on which he proposed co-operation with
Great Britain against the Turks being as follows :
“ England to acknowledge the independence 'of the Arab countries, bounded
on the north by Mersina and Adana up to 37° of latitude, on which degree falls
Birijik, Urfa, Mardin, Midiat, Amadia Island," up to the border of Persia; on the
east, by the borders of Persia up to the Gulf of Basrah , on the south, by the
Indian Ocean, with the exception of the position of Aden to remain as it is ; on
the west, by the Bed Sea, the Mediterranean Sea up to Mersinu ” (p. 40).
It appears from a statement made by Faroki (for whom see section (ii) above)
that Lord Kitchener’s assurance of the 31st October* 1914, to Sherif Abdullah (see
section (i)) had been discussed between Sherif Husein and the Central Arab
Nationalist Committee, which was at that time in being at Damascus, and that this
territorial demand was suggested to the Sherif by the Committee. Einissanes were
sent from Damascus to Jeddah with instructions to bargain about this demand in
detail, but to insist on a general acceptance of it by Great Britain as a condition of
continuing negotiations.
On the 30th August, 1915, Sir H. McMahon, in his first letter to Sherif Husein,
gave a non-committal answer on this point, re-affirming Lord Kitchener’s pledges, but
alluding to the discussion of boundaries as “ premature ’ (p. 43).
On the 9th September, 1915, however, the Sherif, in his second letter, pressed for
definition:—
“ Your Excellency will pardon me and permit me to say clearly that the
coolness and hesitation displayed in the question of the limits and boundaries,
by saying that the discussion of these at present is of no use and loss of time, and
that they are still in the hands of the Government which is ruling them, etc.,
might be taken to infer an estrangement or something of the sort.
“ As the limits and boundaries demanded are not those of one person whom we
should satisfy, and with whom we should discuss them after the war is over,
but our peoples have seen that the life of their new proposal is bound at least by
these limits and their word is united on this;
“ Therefore they have found it necessary to discuss this point first with the
Power in whom they now have their confidence and trust as a final appeal,
viz., the illustrious British Empire” (p. 14).
The substance of this letter was conveyed to the Foreign Office by bir H. McMahon
on the 18th October, 1915 (telegram No. 623), and in a private telegram of the sanie
date to Sir E. Grey 4 (p 49) he reported the results of further conversations with
Faroki. Faroki declared that Germany had promised the Arab party the fulfilment of
all their demands, and that they were at the parting of the wavs. He expressed the
opinion that:—
“ The occupation by France of purely Arab districts of Aleppo, Hama, Homs
and Damascus would be opposed bv Arabs with force of arms, but with this
exception .... they would accept some modification of the North-western
boundaries proposed by the Sherif of Mecca ” (p. 51).
This latter suggestion by Faroki is important; for though it does not appear
certain that it would have been agreed to by the rest of the Damascus party, and
it has certainly never been agreed to by Sherif Husein, it was taken by His Majesty’s
Government as the basis of their negotiations with France, and is the origin of the
division between the Blue Area and Area A.
It was embodied on the 24th October, 1915, in Sir H. McMahon’s second letter to
the Sherif: —
“ The districts of Mersina and Alexandretta, and portions of Syria lying to the
west of the districts of Damascus, Homs, Hama and Aleppo cannot be said
to be purely Arab, and should be excluded from the proposed limits and
boundaries. ' With the above modifications, and without prejudice to our
existing treaties with Arab Chiefs, we accept these limits and boundarms ; and in
regard to those portions of the territories therein in which Great Britain is free to
act without detriment to the interests of her Ally, France, 1 am empowered in the
2 ? “ Inland” or else “ Jezireh, Amadia.” 3 157740/15 : statement by Faroki, pp. 4 and 10. 4 153045/15.