Papers on British policy and the Arab movement [‎152v] (308/380)

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We are, however, committed in regard to the south-western half of Armenia
(Sivas, Kharput, Diarbekir, Cilicia) by its inclusion in the Blue Area, where we hav^
agreed (No. 11) that France shall establish such direct or indirect administration c
control as she desires. 0 But we have a free hand in the Yellow Area, which was
assigned to Russia, and in those districts west of the Yellow Area and north of the
Blue which equitably should be included in an Armenian State.
We are also parties to an undertaking, made to Italy by France, that Mersina and
all other harbours on the Cilician coast shall be free ports for Italian trade with the
Green Area.
Note .— I he future of Russian Armenia will have to be considered in connection
with that of Turkish Armenia, but it falls outside the scope of the present
memorandum.
(4.) Arab Countries and Kurdistan.
The Arab countries concerned are the Arab provinces of Turkey and the Indepen
dent States of the Arabian Peninsula—the Aden Protectorate on the mainland and
islands, especially the Protectorate of Bahrein, being excluded.
Our commitments in this area are as follows :—
(a.) His Majesty’s Government are parties to the “ Reglements organiques” of the
Lebanon vilayet (Nos. I and 2 in the Schedule).
(6.) They have treaties, agreements, and understandings with the Sultans of
Mokalla and Maskat, Chiefs of “ Trucial Oman A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. ,’’ Sheikhs of Koweit and A1 Katar,
Bin Saud, the Idrisi and other independent Arab rulers, and with the Sheikh of
Mohammerah, who is an autonomous ruler under the sovereignty of Persia.
Some of these commitments are nearly a century old, others (including the most important) have
been entered into during the war. They vary greatly in scope and strictness, as the parties to them
differ in power and in the closeness of their contact with Great Britain; but there is a standard
“ trucial ” pattern (see below) to which they more or less approximate.
(c.) Subject to the maintenance of all the above obligations and rights, and so long
as there is no detriment to the interests of France, His Majesty’s Government are
pledged to King Husein (by a letter to him dated the 24th October, 1915, from the
High Commissioner (Cairo) ) that not merely his own dominions in the Hejaz, but also
the Red and Brown Areas, the Akka-Haifa Enclave An area of land belonging to one country and entirely surrounded by land of just one other country. , Areas A and B, and the whole
mainland of the Arabian Peninsula south of Area B, with the exception of the Aden
Protectorate, shall be “ Arab” and “ Independent.”
We are not committed to the establishment of a unitary State or of a Confederation of States in
this area, nor to any suzerainty of King Husein outside the Hejaz. King Husein claimed the
boundaries of Arab independence to which we have assented, not in his own name, but as the
spokesman of the various populations, and our pledge was given to him in this capacity only.
Nor are we committed to him, or to anyone, in regard to the Caliphate. His Majesty’s Govern
ment have consistently maintained that this is a question .to be decided by the Moslems themselves,
and they have merely expressed a pious hope that “ an Arab of true race will assume the Caliphate
at Mecca and Medina.”f ,
As a result of agreements with King Husein, other independent rulers, and our
Allies, we have obtained a special position for ourselves, to the exclusion of other
outside Powers, in the greater part of the Arab area, with certain important exceptions,
which appear when our commitments are analysed province by province.
* Subject to the same limitations regarding customs tariffs as Italy has agreed to in the Green Area,
and to an undertaking not to cede her rights (except to the Arab State or Confederation!) without the
previous consent of Great Britain. France has also agreed that Alexandretta (which is included in the Blue
Area and should probably be reckoned to Armenia) shall be a free port for British and Italian trade with the
Red Area and Areas A and B.
f Message from Lord Kitchener to Sherif Abdullah, son of King Husein, despatched on the 31st October,
l‘J14, the date on which war broke out between Great Britain and Turkey.