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File 4722/1918 Pt 1 'Mesopotamia: administration of policy and situation' [308r] (631/687)
The record is made up of 1 volume (326 folios). It was created in 23 Oct 1918-2 Nov 1919. It was written in English, French and Arabic. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
ENCLOSURE.
The Future of Mesopotamia
(Note by Sir Percy Cox.)
I.
I. Lei ore dealing with lesser issues I should like to state the position as I
understand it to be at present, to make sure that I start from the right
premises. '
(i) In the proclamation which we issued on our arrival at Baghdad we
announced to the people, and, in the Press, to the world at large,
that we came as friends and not as conquerors, to emancipate
the inhabitants of the country from the oppressive rule of the
lurks,, and to assist them to work out their destiny on more
auspicious lines. Incidentally we invited them to come forward
and take part in the administration.
(ii) In the announcement of policy made by His Majesty’s Government in
the telegiam of 29th March 191/, from the Secretary of State for
mdia to the A iceroy, it was stated that, whereas it was contemplated
thai. the Basrah Vilayet (as then defined) should “remain
permanently under British administration ” and annexation was
definitely indicated, the Baghdad Vilayet, on the other hand, was
to be formed into an Arab State or Province under British protection,
in everything but name.
2. During the year that has since elapsed the general situation has under
gone considerable, development, an important feature of which has been the
entiy.of America into the war, and in the latter connection certain fundamental
principles have been enunciated for which America in particular and the other
Allies in general are considered to be fighting. Of these principles the one
which particularly concerns us at the moment requires that the peoples of the
countries interested or affected should be allowed to determine their own form
of Government. Recently the Prime Minister has publicly stated that the
destinies of Palestine. Mesopotamia, &c., will be decided at the Peace
Conference.
3. I gather that it is now proposed to deliberate as to what particular
steps or line of action are advisable in order to square our working police with
the above principle and announcements, in case we should have to adhere to
them in spite of the fact that Germany has not respected them in dealing with
conquered territory in Russia.
4. I assume that, if at the end of the war we find ourselves in a sufficiently
strong position, and in effective administrative control, we should still hope to
annex the Basrah Vilayet and exercise a veiled protectorate over the Baghdad
Vilayet; but it is recognised that the question of annexation has become
exceedingly difficult vis-a-vis the President of the United States, who will
presumably exercise the most potent influence at the Peace Conference. Our
original proposals must consequently be regarded as a counsel of perfection,
and we must be prepared to accept something less. At any rate, however, we
have the strongest grounds, in view of our assurances to the inhabitants and
the millions of money we have sunk in making the Port, for standing out for
the annexation of Basrah and from thence to the sea, with a small block of
territory necessary to round off the
enclave
An area of land belonging to one country and entirely surrounded by land of just one other country.
. As regards the rest of the
occupied territories, the essential aim must be to effect the complete elimination
of Turkish suzerainty, and it is assumed that we shall leave no stone unturned
to achieve that end, only tolerating its retention in the last resort.
About this item
- Content
The volume contains correspondence, memoranda, reports, telegrams and minutes regarding the administration of, and situation in, Mesopotamia [Iraq] following the Asia Minor Agreement of 1916, more commonly known as the Sykes-Picot Agreement, between the French and British governments, and the Anglo-French Declaration of November 1918. The volume also concerns the subject of self-determination in Persia [Iran].
The papers notably cover:
- Discussion of advance interpretations of the 1916 Agreement
- The Anglo-French Declaration of November 1918, which publicised their intentions and policy in the former Ottoman territories of Syria and Iraq
- Presentation of the 1918 Declaration to the President of the United States of America by the French Ambassador to the US, Jean Adrien Antoine Jules Jusserand
- Disagreement between the British and French visions of the future administration of Mesopotamia
- The situation in southern Kurdistan
- The 1919 Paris Peace Conference
- Apprehensions of the Baghdad Jewish community about the tenor of the Anglo-French Declaration, including a petition to the Civil Commissioner, Baghdad, requesting to be made subjects of the British Crown
- Reaction to the Declaration from the across the Arab world
- Disagreement among the British over the form that Britain’s control in Mesopotamia should take
- The views of the principal sheikhs [shaikhs] of Mesopotamia on the 1918 Agreement
- Discussion among British officials of the benefits of control over Mesopotamia and the view of the Civil Commissioner, Baghdad, Arnold Talbot Wilson, on the situation in Mesopotamia
- Discussion of the potential candidates for the head of the new state of Iraq
- Reports on consultations with political and religious leaders and inhabitants from across Iraq on the future Government of Iraq
- The views of Sir Percy Cox and Arnold Wilson on the situation in Mesopotamia
- The question of the future political status of Mesopotamia, including the views of British officers serving in Syria and the Hejaz
- Discussion of the question of Iraqi self-determination.
Notable documents in this volume include:
- Text by Sir Percy Cox regarding ‘The Future of Mesopotamia’ (ff 308-310 and ff 270-272)
- Extracts from The Times , 26 November 1819, including a series of articles under the title ‘The Arab Campaign’ (ff 230-232)
- The statutes for the independence of Iraq (ff 127-130)
- A memorandum by Major W H Young regarding the future of Mesopotamia (ff 99-112)
- Copies of ‘Self-determination in Iraq’ in Arabic (ff 75-97) and English (ff 57-73).
The principal correspondents are: the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. , Political Department; the Governor-General of India; the Civil Commissioner, Baghdad; the Military Governor and Political Officer, Baghdad; Government of India, Military Department, the French Ambassador to the United States; and the British Embassy, Paris.
The volume includes a divider, which gives the subject number, the year the subject file was opened, the subject heading, and a list of correspondence references by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (326 folios)
- Arrangement
The contents of the volume are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume.
The subject 4722 (Mesopotamia) consists of ten volumes, IOR/L/PS/10/755-764. The volumes are divided into twelve parts, with parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11 and 12 comprising one volume each. Part 10 is missing. Part 7, entitled ‘Mesopotamia: Sir A. Wilson’s invitation to Syrian Baghdadis’, was transferred to File 5268/20 Parts 1 and 2 (see IOR/L/PS/10/913).
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 334; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. Multiple intermittent additional mixed foliation/pagination sequences are also present. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers, nor does it include the leading and ending flyleaves. The sequence contains two anomalies: f 181a and f 181b.
- Written in
- English, French and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/10/755
- Title
- File 4722/1918 Pt 1 'Mesopotamia: administration of policy and situation'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, i-r:i-v, 1r:127v, 128ar, 128r:175v, 176ar, 176r:181v, 181ar:181av, 181cr, 181br:181bv, 182r:182v, 186r:229v, 232v:325v, 327r:334v, ii-r:ii-v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence