مجموعة ١٠/١٧(١) "شؤون داخلية: الوضع السياسي؛ العلاقات مع الحكومة البريطانية" [ظ‎‎٤‎٦‎٩] (٩٨٢/٩٤٣)

evasion of taxes and customs duties, favouritism in diplomatic appointments,
illegal granting of pensions and the like, the continuance of which no
self-respecting Prime Minister could be expected to tolerate. On my remarking
that the King had reached a somewhat different diagnosis, he said that he kn^w
King Eeisal disagreed with his own theory of politics, which was, however, bad^
upon the high precedent set by the Earl of Chatham at a time when English
standards approximated more closely than they did at present to those prevailiim
in modern Iraq. I replied that I found it difficult to believe that agreement
would not be reached if there was no other cause of difference between King Feisal
and himself than those which had been explained to me, and pointed out the
absurdity of two old friends separating at such a moment as this merely because
neither was able to live up to the lofty ideals of the other. He admitted the
paradox, but saw little prospect of reconciliation after what had happened, and
thought the best solution would be for Naji Shaukat or some other individual to
form a Ministry, and for him to stand aside. Difficulties would at once arise, the
Cabinet would soon fall and he would be called in again on his own terms. ’ No
great harm would result from this, and meanwhile he was prepared to serve as a
Director in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in order that his experience mioffit
still be available. His position, if he accepted the portfolio for Foreign Affair?in
such a Ministry, would be impossible, as the King would suspect him of being
behind the opposition which would undoubtedly be offered to his illegal
proceedings. Only under Yasin Pasha, if his programme was acceptable, would
he serve as Foreign Minister, not because he trusted him, but because he would
tt ^ ^ position to defeat Yasin s schemes and save King Feisal from himself,
le did not, however, see how Yasin Pasha could at this stage withdraw from the
position he had taken up.
Nuri Pasha then departed to see the King, and I returned to my house
™ e L J. wa s again visited by Sir Kinahan Cornwallis, who had meanwhile been
with King Feisal. He told me that the King had assured him that Yasin Pasha
was now completely out of court as a candidate for the premiership, and that
° f e C P T U .4 ^ the situation created by Nuri Pasha's resignation
Z wh 2 nn P ^r % ^ a n tG f0rm a 1 Cabinet - While we still discussing
the whoie question Nun Pasha appeared and told us that the King had received
wKrfc? a ?"^ d hi “ first to form a CoaIitlon Gov g ern“rnd
T .i • , declined to do this, to form a Government of his own supporters
assured that 1 th/K- '‘"k 1 ^ h ? f ° rm a new Government if he could be
tha^this was the fare 8 Th confidence m him, but that he was not satisfied
all h(m „ J as „ the ca ® e ' t . The subsequent conversation had not convinced him, and
YfT a reconciliation was therefore at an end. He then expressed the view
His MafstThTd 8 C 111 ^ “f'A ^ j ealous y of himself, and complained that
bcLTrfsfYd n Xai£ ne fn ? f summoning the editors of the
Nuri Pasha was nraiseA g iA em ^Herly for publishing articles in which
the Kins had made n,^ re* s . erv ‘ ces , to his country. He was convinced that
meeting Parliament and rmAnl" he he sho P lc ? not have an opportunity of
prepared to sacrifice everythin p- tntb 11 , s . ow f n ™. 1SS10I ' 1 to Geneva, and that he was
13 In tz' • n& i, to tbe satls f a ction of this petty jealousy.
decided that Nuri should reiHut^o 8 }^^ 06 to . me T a few b ^ urs bef ore that he had
and, at Sir Kinahan ’s cnoJL ar liament, I was reluctant to believe this,
King Feisal was expectino L ^ C °^ anied him to the P ala ee, where
moment to make sure that*! was rennrt^ t l ?p Kmg tbat 1 bad 01 dy looked in for a
Government. I had Gathered V rr m t i 1 ^ | e j ltuatlon correctly to His Majesty’s
that he had decided *that Nuri P h a p de 1 {l ad said at au dience that morning
mission to G™ but ^ P Should mee } 1 Parlia ™nt and report on his
His Majesty replied that that lat ^ ^ ad un derstood him correctly.
Alinister; whoever ^e mi^ht the views of the n ew Priihe
raised with me two days before ■n.r^ 0 ? ^ coilstlt ] utl i o nal point which he had
raised with me two davs hetnU o n e ( : onstltutloI ial point which he ha.,d
awaiting my opinion J I f Mch he was ^ anxiously
quite definitely that the existing p a ’ r r ^ ^* ad lin d erst °od him to have decided
me that this problem would arire nnH Yi? 3 t0 meet ': tmd not occurred to
f had not done so either I } vu i' i,,,,, ’ - e mentioned it in the morning,
would, as he had suleTted be IcesY a T 1Sed th o at > on a stri ct interpretation,
salary, even if Parliament onlv meMW 7, Senators and Deputies their full
sense demanded that they shonld not inTaot^’ was opinion that common
' 0l,ld not m fact be Paid more than a reasonable sum.
»»l» rti# t f J
su]
jjtoddon 1 !
14 Od ti
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itooiid that j
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necessary for
le himself wou
should not be d:
^reemeut was
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dd adopt to
:plegram No. 3t
15 On th
id the resign
loth the King
#mces, and h(
stewardship. (
fasin and Ntiri
ten summoned
retain the port
misterial e
M up to th
point, and tl
store lines,
fsced with t