"الملف 73/7 V (D 38) وضع الكويت، والمعاهدة الأنجلو-تركية" [و‎‎٥‎٨] (٢١٦/١٣٠)

[This Docunient is the Property of His Britannic Majesty s Government.!
TURKEY.
CONFIDENTIAL.
March 6.
Section 1
[9863
No. 1.
Sir Edward Grey to Prince Lichnowshi.
(Confidential.)
bIR E. GRE1 presents ]iis compliments to the German Ambassador, and has the
honour to inform his Serene Highness that on the 3rd instant His Majesty's Ambassador
at Berlin was instructed to inform the German Government that His Majesty's Govern
ment were on the point of concluding their agreements with Turkey so "far as they
are connected with the proposed customs increase as distinct from the monopolies, and
that they hoped to reach complete agreement with the German Government in regard
to the proposed Anglo-German Convention respecting the Bagdad Railway and cognate
matters forthwith. Sir E. Goschen was further to explain that His Majesty's Govern
ment were, however, disturbed by the reflection that the British agreements both with
Germany and with Turkey could not, to a large extent, become operative until the con
clusion of corresponding agreements between the Bagdad Railway Company and the
Ottoman Government, and the Ottoman Government and the German Government, and
that progress in this direction did not appear to be very rapid. His Excellency was to add
that the 31st March was the latest date fixed for the ratification of the British agree
ments with Turkey, and, both on this account and in view of the urgent necessity of
Turkey for money, which could not be raised until the customs increase had been
agreed to, His Majesty's Government earnestly trusted that the negotiations at Berlin
might soon be concluded.
His Majesty's Ambassador has now been informed by the German Government
that the negotiations in question are in suspense, owing to the prolonged absence of
Djavid Bey at Paris, and, while the German Government are anxious for their early
conclusion, they evidently are far from confident that they will be resumed at an early
date, and they are able to give no indication of the date when a conclusion may be
anticipated.
His Majesty's Government have received this news with much disappointment;
they are being pressed to lay the British agreements before Parliament, or to disclose
their contents, and a prolonged delay will cause serious inconvenience and even
embarrassment. In these circumstances Sir E. Grey would greatly appreciate the
action of the German Government if they could expedite the progress of negotiations
in which his Majesty's Government are closely concerned, since their conclusion is a
necessary preliminary condition of the Anglo-German and the Turco-British agreements
being brought to a successful issue.
Sir E. Grey therefore trusts that it may still be possible for the Turco-German
negotiation to reach a conclusion before the 31st March.
Foreign Oifice, March G, 1914.
Jiiil
|||
•' j
■'
■
[2067 /—I]