File 537/1921 Part 2 'Persia: Oil - A.P.O. Co's development of new oil-fields; Oil Boring at Dasht-i-Qil; A.P.O. Co's agreement with Kashkuli Khans' [‎281v] (234/254)

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Enclosure 3. Telegram R-j No . 1195 , dated the 6th October 1921.
from—His Majesty^s Consul, Shiraz,
To—His Majesty’s Minister, Tehran.
(Repeated Resident, Bushire.)
Priority .—Your telegram No. 124.
You should have since received my despatch 15 of September iSth with
copies of correspondence explaining present relationsfcp of Soukt to Kas^
and unlikelihood of his being in a position to interfere in legion
Company will work.
Negotiations were already far advanced before your telegram reached me.
I have got all the Kashkuli Khans down to Dash tar jin with the Governo,'-
General’s assistance and Sir A. T. Wilson arrives there on October 11th
nersonallv to sign agreement for work to begin at once as is extremely import-
tant Tax collector and henchman of Soulat is with them. I will reply
separately to those other points of message to you but as regards negotiations
with Company I submit that lines of your reply might be as follows
(1) He had not been titular Ilkhani The paramount chief of certain tribes in south west Iran. for some three years past and . is
not now. In principle therefore he personally can no more claim
to be consulted about such negotiations than for instance
Ihtisham Ilkhani The paramount chief of certain tribes in south west Iran. .
(2) It might be pointed out to him that as for five months yearly he resides
near Isfahan for rest is far away in Eastern Ears and is never
resident within 200 miles it would not be practical business
for Company to make him responsible for opposition party.
(3) Director of Company has emphasized to this Consulate in writing
that any payment made by Company (apart from royalty to
Persian Government for concessionary rights) is to be de facto
controlling authorities for protection. Soulat does not fill that
position as neither he nor any of his family reside on the
spot or for that matter are ever within 100 miles of it.
(4) Soulat is well aware that with the exception of one or two minor
Kashkuli Khans all have been for a long time opposed to him
will not trust themselves in his presence and he is unable to
compel them to do so. Company might have to wait years
before Khans would be prepared to assemble in Soulat’s presence
and agree to terms arranged between him and Company : while
Khans would be certainly not agreeable to terms without their
consent particularly if any payment for protection were to be
made to Soulat by Company for distribution and money did not
reach Khans, Such agreement would be useless to Company,
Soulat might be further informed that Company do not intend
altogether to ignore his special personal position though in this
present agreement he is not directly concerned and it is hoped
that, later on meeting may be arranged between him when
in south with representative of Company with useful results to
parties.
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His Majesty’s Consul-General, Bushire, telegraphs he is sending British
Vice-Consul as representative of Consulate-General for meeting with Wilson.
I will not proceed to meet them if you think it useful that by my staying
away Soulat should not have that reason for complaint against me personally*
Perhaps also you will think my presence as second official representative
undesirable. r