مجموعة ١٠/١٧(١) "شؤون داخلية: الوضع السياسي؛ العلاقات مع الحكومة البريطانية" [و‎‎١‎٠] (٩٨٢/٢٤)

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THIS
DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S GOYERI MENT* *
EA STERN (Iraq).
CONFIDENTIAL.
December 16,
a
26
A
936.
1957 J
Section 1.
-i 90
[E 7808/1419/93] Copy No. — '
Sir A. Clark Kerr to Mr. Eden.— {Received December 16.)
pSo. 597.) , , ;g Bagdad, December 11,
’ WITH reference to my despatch No. 565 of the 20th November, I have the
honour to transmit to you herewith an extract from the Iraq limes of the
9th December containing a translation of the programme which has been issued
by the Government through the press bureau. n , T
2. This programme differs v/idely from that of the Popular Reform League
and, according to the preamble, includes only such projects as can be carried out
3. Nevertheless, the programme is only a little less ambitious and compre
hensive than those habitually issued by previous Governments and it seems
unlikely that more than a small part of it will ever be carried out ,
4 . ' In accordance with precedent, the programme opens with a definition of
the Government’s attitude towards Great Britain and the declaration of po icy
made under this head is, I think, satisfactory. It indicates however, that as
the Prime Minister has more than once suggested to me, the Government mte
to obtain all the benefits which they can from the Treaty of Alliance.
5 . The programme of administrative reforms and improvements contains
nothing which calls for special comment, but it is possible that the fina f ^ ial v lte ™ ) S l
which deal with the revision of the income-tax law, the supervision of banks and
the introduction of legislation for the employment of insurance money m 1 q,
cover plans likely to cause difficulties for British commercia Pterests^ I shaH,
therefore, watch carefully the action taken by tfie Government ^se^
6 Under the heading “ Justice, a complete overhaul of the judicial sysm
and basic laws of the country is adumbrated, but, bearing m X® a yCl ^ s
have already been spent in vain efforts to produce a new criminal code, it se
unlikely that the present Government will be able to redraft all the civ ,
commercial and criminal laws in the mannei suggeste . -i- , ■
7 The C£ Defence ” paragraphs reveal little, but the proposed reconciliatio
of Civil and military needs in important economic schemes foreshadows I fw a
increasing- use of the military veto on many projects for the improvement 01
internal 11 communications. Even under the late Government the Ministry of
Defence were developing a tiresome habit of objecting ^py^Jotemktriots ^
construction of many roads needed for the opening up of the remoter districts
construction 01 ma y Government contain nothing noteworthy but
you will obserU that thl Cabinet, like ^ir predecessors f =
fask^ryTtee’A^kpM’Indlt’fs probable IhatVrGovernment may be given
JEW-■*
Tehran. T , o
’ ARCHIBALD CLARK KERR.
[881 q— 1 ]