ملف ١٩٢٨/٢٠٠ الجزء ٥ "بلاد فارس: العلاقات الأنجلو-فارسية، مفاوضات بشأن المعاهدة" [و‎‎٤‎١‎٦] (١١٣٢/٨٣٦)

[983 q—1]
|Thi* Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty^ Government.]
December 16, 1929.
Section 1.
No. 1.
PERSIA.
confidential,
[E 6550/19/34]
Sir 7?. Clive tp Ur. A. Henderson.—(Received December 16.)
(No. 595.) I'' v, ^ l
Sir, ^ i y r i oi - ran, December ], 19P9.
YOUR despatch No. 55(5 of the 21st hiovember readied me yesterday afternoon
The same evening the Minister of Court had invited me to dinner in order that we
might have a talk about various matters, and I took the opportunity to refer to the
point raised in paragiaph < of youi despatch. Reference is therein made to para-
0 graph Id of my despatch No. 439 of the 21st August, in which I stated that I had told
his Highness that the point raised in paragraph S of his letter of the 20th August in
regard to article 1 of the draft treaty appeared to be unnecessary, as, in my opinion
should either of the high contracting parties cease to be a member of the League of
Nations, the engagement to respect the territorial integrity and political independence
of the other would none the less remain in force. Last night I informed his Highness
that 1 was now authorised to say that His Majesty’s Government had no intention
whatever of withdrawing from ^ the League of Nations, and that they presumed that
Persia had no such intention either. Moreover, the treaty was being negotiated on the
basis that both countries would continue to be members of the League of Nations and
parties to the Kellogg Pact. In these circumstances, the point raised in paragraph 8
of his letter to me of the 20th August did not arise.
2. His Highness replied that he entirely accepted what I said. He was sure that
Eis Majesty’s Government had no intention of withdrawing from the League of
Nations, but circumstances, however unlikely, could conceivably arise which, at some
future date, might determine His Majesty’s Government to go back on the intention
which they had to-day. Again, with reference to the Kellogg Pact, had not His
Majesty’s Government made certain reservations ? He begged me to believe, however,
that he was not for a moment questioning the good faith of His Majesty’s Government,
but to speak quite frankly he was somewhat disappointed with the wording proposed.
If, for instance, His Majesty’s Government would be prepared to consider some such
wording as the following, the effect in Persia would, when the treaty came to be
published, be very different to the effect which would be produced by the present
draft. He had in mind some such wording as this : “ Each of the high contracting
parties, in view of the obligations incumbent on them as members of the League of
Nations and in view of the Multilateral Treaty 7 for the Renunciation of War, signed in
Paris on the 27th August, 1928, and in view of the ancient ties of friendship existing
between them, guarantees to respect the territorial integrity and political independence
of the other, &c.”
3. He went on to explain that he would, of course, have preferred a separate
non-aggression treaty such as Persia had with her other neighbours, but he realised
that this was impossible. Moreover, conditions had changed since he first made his
proposal, the downfall of Amanullah had, at any rate for the moment, removed any
danger of aggression on the part of Afghanistan. He hoped I realised, however, that
there was all the difference in the world from the Persian point of view between saying
in accordance with the international obligations,” and saying “in view of these
obligations ” with the addition of some such phrase as he suggested. Any Persian,
reading the article as at. present drafted, would simply say this means nothing at all, it
merely reaffirms existing obligations, whereas on reading the article drafted on the
bnes he suggested would at once realise that the relations between Persia and His
majesty’s Government were being genuinely and whole-heartedly established on a new
basis of mutual friendship and conlidence. Persia’s other neighbours also would be
much more impressed by the wording he suggested.
F 1 told his Highness that I would submit to you wdiat he said. I shall take an
ear ly opportunity of discussing with him the other points raised in your despatch.
5- A copy of this despatch has been sent to the Government of India.
I have, &c.
R. If. CLIVE.