"الملف 73/7 II (D 22) وضع الكويت - سكة حديد بغداد، والمفاوضات الأنجلو تركية" [و‎‎١‎١‎٣] (٥٤٠/٢٣١)

(Ts)
Turldsli Ambassador on tlie 15tli April, and they trust to Le in a position to con
tinue tlie negotiations with the Turkish Government when detailed investigations
have been completed by the departments concerned.
In the meantime, however, they are somewhat doubtful, from the terms of
the Turkish memorandum, whether, leaving on one side for the moment the ter
ritorial questions involved, the Turkish Government are prepared to accept the
basis of settlement proposed by His Majesty's Government in the following para
graph :—
" British trade relations with the Shaikhs df Kuwait have existed for upwards
of two centuries and, inasmuch as the place has attracted merchants from all
quarters by the equity of its rule and the freedom of its trade, (1) His Majesty's
Government could not consent to any interference with the succession or with
the internal administration, or any infringement of the complete autonomy of the
Shaikh; (2) on the other hand, they are prepared to recognise Turkish suzerainty
over Kuwait, and to recognise the Shaikh as a Turkish Kaimakam; (3) provided
in other respects'the status quo is guaranteed ; (4) and the validity of certain agree
ments, which the Shaikh has concluded with the British Government, is recog
nised ; * * * * (5) and provided finally the Shaikh is admitted to the full
and undisturbed enjoyment of any properties he may own or hereafter purchase
on Turkish territory; (6) Kuwait would thus form a sort of enclave within, and
forming part of, the Ottoman Empire, but enjoying complete self-government
under Turkish suzerainty. "
His Majesty's Government Would be glad to have an explicit reply with regard
to each of the propositions enumerated above.
There is another question which has recently caused some concern to His
Majesty's Government, viz., that of the frontier between Turkey and Persia in the
region of Mohammerah. When His Majesty's Government addressed their memo
randum of last July to the Turkish Government that question had been dormant
for sixty years, and His Majesty's Government had no desire to raise it. But
from the attitude of the Turkish frontier commissioners at Constantinople they are
led to apprehend that the Turkish Government may contemplate advancing claims,
which would inevitably re-act unfavourably upon the adjustment of the respective
interests of Great Britain and Turkey in the region of the Persian Gulf, in view of
the close relations existing between His Majesty's Government and the Shaikh
of Mohammerah.
Foreign office, May 10, 1912.
(Copy sent informally to the Army Department, for transmission to the Divi
sion of the Chief of the Staff.)
(Received on 10th June 1912, with Political Secretary's letter No. 21, dated the 24th
May'1912).
fB.]
ASIATIC TUEKEY AND ARABIA. [May II.]
CONFIDENTIAL. Section 1.
[20715] No. 1.
Memorandum hy Mr. Parker on the Baghdad Railway. ,
In our memorandum of last July to the Turkish Ambassador, we stipulated
that if the railway was ever prolonged from Basrah to the Persian Gulf " it must
be brought to Kuwait under conditions to be settled by agreement between Great
Britain and Turkey alone, ana a clause to this effect must be embodied in a con
vention dealing with these matters. "
Germany has, in her agreement renouncing her right to build the line between
Baghdad and the Gulf, stipulated that the Bagdad Railway Company shall have
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