Report of the Special Mission to Egypt under Lord Milner, and related papers [‎74r] (147/473)

[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty’s Government.]
EGYPT AND SOUDAN.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[E 13957/6/16] No. 1 .
Statement by Viscount Milner made at the Meeting between the Special Mission to Egypt
and Saad Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. Zaghlul and his Colleagues at 3 p.m. at the Colonial O ffice on the
9th November, 1920 .—{Received at Foreign Office November 10.)
9 IT seemed desirable to have this meeting before the departure of the Egyptian
representatives in order to clear up the situation and leave room for further co-operation
between them and the mission in the future.
The report, which the gentlemen who have lately returned from Egypt have
brought back to us, seems to indicate that there is a great body of opinion favourable
to a settlement on the basis outlined in the memorandum of August. On the other
hand, they state that there are several points in the memorandum which they desire to
modify and several fresh conditions which they wish to add to it before promising their
unconditional support. It is not necessary for me to dwell upon these points to-day,
because the mission are unanimously of opinion that no good purpose would be served
by a further discussion of details at the present stage.
The memorandum never professed to do more than indicate the general lines on which
an agreement could be arrived aU* In any case, as we have always foreseen, the agree
ment itself, if it is decided to proceed with it, will have to be the outcome of formal
negotiations between duly accredited representatives of the British and Egyptian
Governments. In those negotiations the fresh points, which you have brought forward
as the result of the visit of some of your number to Egypt, can be raised, as other
points may be raised on one side or the other. It would be impossible and undesirable
to exclude any proposals not evidently inconsistent with the spirit of the agreement
outlined in the memorandum, which on the face of it requires elucidation and elaboration
before it can be converted into a formal treaty. It would, in our opinion, not facilitate
a settlement if we were to anticipate these discussions ; therefore we think it wiser to
refrain from any expression of opinion on the new points recently raised by you at the
present time, though we believe that a satisfactory solution can and will be found, when
regular negotiations can be undertaken.
What is far more important at the present stage than any further discussion of
details is to influence opinion both here and in Egypt in a sense favourable to a settle
ment on the lines which we both favour, and above all to cultivate and strengthen by
every means the spirit of friendship and mutual confidence which our conversations here
have helped to engender, but which must become general on both sides if our efforts
are to lead to the desired result. As far as this country is concerned, we hope that the
presentation of the report of the mission, which we are anxious to complete as quickly
as possible, will conduce to that end. But it is equally important that a similar effect
should be produced in Egvpt by your endeavours. We gratefully recognise how much
you have already done in that direction. But it is evident that there is still opposition
to be overcome, that there are great numbers of people in Egypt who are not imbued
^\vith the spirit of the agreement, but are for one reason or another hostile to a good
understanding between Great Britain and Egypt. They are, or profess themselves to
bej suspicious of the intentions of this country, and they do not recognise the generous
^spirit in which Great Britain is prepared to meet the aspirations of the Egyptian people.
In so far as you are able to dispel this suspicion and misunderstanding and create a
betfer feeling, you will be doing more than can be done in any other way to bring
about the settlement which we all so earnestly desire.
[4744 /c—3]