Report of the Special Mission to Egypt under Lord Milner, and related papers [‎112r] (225/473)

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The Prime Minister, with.the agreement of his colleagues,
impressed on Lord Allenby that he should make it clear in
Egypt that the British Government was not finally committed
to the scheme. Egypt was not bound by the adherence of
Zaghlul and his colleagues to the proposals, and knew that
she was perfectly free to examine them and to suggest amend
ments. The position of the British Government was precisely
similar, it was merely in process cf examining and considering.-
a scheme presented to them only in the form of a summary by
the Commission which had drawn it up. The Prime Minister ^
made it clear that the question of whether the Government
would exercise its freedom was a question cf policy to be
considered later.
Lord Allenby made it perfectly clear that he would be
obliged, in conversation with the Sultan, to enter into the
question in some detail.
This l<Ld to a discussion as to the nature of the Dele
gation, representing all shades of Egyptian opinion, which it
was proposed, as the next step, should be sent by the Egyptian
Government to London. It was pointed out that it was efiorntial
to make clear to this Delegation whether it was to discuss
details of a scheme already accepted in principle, or
merely to reopen the whole question.
Lord Milner pointed out that, notwithstanding the
boycott of his Mission in Egypt, it had in the end succeeded
in eliciting the attitude of all shades of Egyptian opinion.
It was generally agreed that no decision could be taken
at the moment as to the precise purpose of the proposed
Delegation * The procedure should be somewhat as follows :-
(a) Consideration by the Cabinet of Lord
Milner s Report ;
(b) A decision by the Cabinet on the
question of policy;
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