"الوضع في بلاد فارس، المجلد II" [و‎‎١‎٩‎٤] (٢٤٤/٣٩)

.1 iHP"
'MILITARY
Decypher« Sir C* terling. (Teheran). March ?0th,1918.
Do 11.30.a,mc torch 30th c 1918*
H. 8 o 0.a a mo March 31st.l918 P
No. 263.
Addressed to Hamadan for Dunsterville; repeated
to Foreign Office 263, Bagdad and India*
Your telegram No* G129F :
If is cl°ar that Bicharakoff shares general
Russian dislike and suspicions of appearance of
British troops in Northern Persia* Please reassure
him on this score and remind him that we have assured
Persia that our troops will he withdrawn at the end of
war and tell him that we have no intention of inter
fering with legitimate Russian interests or of making
political capital as against Russia*
I attach great political importance to continued
entente with Russia, It is true they cannot give us
very much active assistance hut their open hostility
would give great encouragement to Anglophohe Persian
Party here* Moreover we cannot afford to do anything
that would shalee loyal Cossack division which has been
our sole mill it ary asset and without which situation
here would have been exceedingly precarious* To turn
down Bicharakoff’s offer would have that effect and wo
should therefore try to come to reasonable terms with
him* I do not know ^hat offer is worth but it seems
clear to me that for next two months or until we have
sufficient troops in north western Persia to dominate
situation