ملف من أوراق مطبوعة مصنفة تحت عنوان "التفاوض المصري" بين كرزون وعدلي باشا والوفد المصري [ظ‎‎٣‎٧] (١٧٨/٧٤)

Minister has the right of access to the Prime Minister, and could call a Cabinet
meeting on any subject. Similarly, every Privy Councillor has the right of access to
the King. Now his sole object was to make the Financial Commissioner effective, and
the Egyptian delegation objected to the provisions which he had suggested, on the
ground that the Financial Commissioner would naturally enjoy all these rights and
privileges. Lord Curzon, however, insisted that it should be clearly laid down,
because if it were not sooner or later the Financial Commissioner s rights would be
challenged. # . .
Sidky Pasha said that Egyptian public accounts are published; their budget is
discussed and approved by the Legislative Assembly. All that was part, of the
Constitution. They had nothing to hide, and consequently the financial Commissioner
could find out everything without difficulty.
Lord Curzon said that in framing his proposal he might have put the matter in a
much more objectionable way. He might, for instance, have given the Financial
Commissioner the right of access to the High Commissioner. As it was he had only
given him access to his Egyptian chiefs.
Sidky Pasha said that the country would certainly interpret a provision of this
nature as an infringement of Egyptian sovereignty.
Lord Curzon insisted that if it was not laid down it would sooner or later be
denied.
Rushdi Pasha then said that he presumed that the Financial Commissioner’s
rights were limited to his specific functions as defined in the memorandum.
Lord Curzon, however, said that this was not what he intended ; on the contrary,
the Financial Commissioner would be free to raise any subject he liked with the Prime
Minister or the Minister of Finance. He himself had had great experience of this sort
of situation in India, and he asked the delegation to believe that he was trying to help
them and not attempting to impose an unnecessary control.
Sidky Pasha said that they had undertaken to call in experts whenever they felt
they were necessary, but Lord Curzon was now imposing a restrictive control.
Lord Curzon said that he was not seeking to impose a control; he was only
providing the Financial Commissioner with powers which he would enjoy in every
properly organised office. The Egyptian delegation appeared to him unnecessarily
sensitive. According to them it was not necessary to have anything in the treaty
because on each point they claimed that it would naturally be all right. Lord Curzon
only wanted to put into the treaty what was least objectionable to the delegation, but,
at the same time, on the conclusion of the negotiations he could not go to His Majesty’s
Government with what would amount to a blank document.
Adly Pasha then said that he would like tq speak about the Financial Com
missioner’s power of veto over the issue of loans. •
Lord Curzon said that this could be dealt with another day, together wdth the
question of the Judicial Commissioner.
Rushdi Pasha said that the Financial Commissioner was being given the right to
take the initiative.
Lord Curzon said that the delegation surely did not propose to deny him even
that right. He added that the loan clause and the Judicial Commissioner’s functions
could be discussed at the next meeting, which was arranged for the following day
at 4 p.m.