"ملف 73/7 IV (D 25) المفاوضات الأنجلو تركية" [و‎‎٤‎١] (١٠٣/٩٣)

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CONFIDENTIAL
No. 3639, dated Bushire, the 30th November (received 8th December) 1913.
From —Lifutenant-Colonel Sir Percy Cox, K C.I.E., C.S.L, Political Resi-
dent in the Persian Gulf,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign Department,
Delhi.
I have the honour to forward, for the information of the Government of
No. C-23, dated .oth November 1913. . C °P,y of , the ,ett . er marginally
cited which has been received from the
Political Agent at Kuwait, reporting an overture from the Wali of Basrah to the
Shaikh,
It would appear to be an intrigue connected with the negotiations with
Bin Saud which Hakki Pasha recently stated to be in progress.
No. C -22, dated Kuwait, the ioth November 1913.
From— Captain VV. H. I. Shakespear, I.A , Political Agent, Kuwait,
ro— The Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, Bushire.
I have the honour to report herewith the substance of a conversation which
recently took place between Shaikh Sir Mubarak-as-Subah and myself, as it
may be of interest in view of the Anglo-Turkish Convention so lately concluded
and of the Porte s declarations therein recorded. The Shaikh may perhaps have
^ xa Rg era,:e d what actually passed, 1 pour se faire valoir^, but I see no reason to
doubt that the story has a foundation of fact.
. 2 - Some ten days ago the Shaikh's agent in Basrah, Abdul Aziz bin Salim
bin Badr, was summoned by the Acting Wali and after much eulogy of Shaikh
Mubarak together with adjurations to secrecy, he was requested to inform the
Shaikh that the Grand Vizier and the Minister for the Interior desired to discuss
some secret matters personally with the Shaikh over the telegraph wire and that
if the Shaikh could see his way to fix a day and lime when he would be present
in either one of the I urkish telegraph oHfices at Fao or Basrah, the ministers
named would converse direct with him from the Porte. Abdul Aziz replied to
the Acting Wali that he was sure the Shaikh would be averse to the suggestion
unless he could be given some indication beforehand as to the subject of the
intended discussion. On this the Acting Wali said the matter was secret but
seeing that Abdul Aziz was already in the shaikh's confidence he supposed he
might divulge the outlines of the proposed discussion. The Porte intended to
appoint a VVali to Basrah at an early date, and the post might be conferred on
the present acting incumbent or another but in any case the Porte particularly
desired to obtain the closest co-operation between the Shaikh and the VVali, more
especially in matters concerning the desert tribes and Nejd ; it was also intended
that the "Wali should be given orders to consult Shaikh Mubarak in any and
every matter likely to cause controversy whether in Basrah itself or in the
desert: in short, the Wali would be required to consult the Shaikh of Kuwait in
all matters relating to the Basrah Vilayet and the Arabs in Arabia and would be
expected to conform to his suggestions. Abdul Aziz is said to have replied that
from what he knew of the Shaikh he thought it most improbable that Mubarak
would agree to mix himself in matters so far beyond his range, and which might
lead to his becoming entangled in serious difficulties with the desert tribes, apart
from the tax on his time and resources which an acceptance of the position
indicated would entail; he would, however, inform the Shaikh of the conversation.
The Acting Wah then closed the interview with more eulogy of the Shaikh's
loyalty to and friendly relations with the Porte, pointed out the great honour
conferred on the Shaikh by the trust reposed in him and the Sultan's desire to