Page 178 - Gulf Precis (V)_Neat

102
Chief; that I did not hesitate to assure him that his spiritual sovereignly would not in any way
be questioned by His Majesty’s Government. I had already, I said, informed His Excellency
that llis Majesty’s Government did not intend to occupy Kowcit, provided that on their side
the Ottoman Government did not force our hands, and refrained from any action likely to do
so; and that I now again assure him that we were satisfied with the status quo and had no
desire to disturb it. I added that I did not understand the message sent me two days beforo
by His Majesty’s Scorctary-General, and that I had boon unable to give any answer •with re­
ference to Your Lordship, as I could not admit the right of intervention of a third power in a
question which was being created between the two Governments.
As tho Sultan, no doubt, expoctcd information a9 to the precise nature of tho convention,
and some sort of declaration, recognising his sovereignty over Kowoit, I was not suro that he
would bo satisfied withTewfik Pasha’s report of this conversation—*f llis Majesty has told tho
Minister of Foreigu Affairs to inform mo that tho Haiffa Railway question would be defi­
nitely settled in a few days, ovidcntly as a bribe, in the hopo of extracting satisfactory
assurance as to Kowcit."
The assurances given by His Excellency on this occasion were considered
by tho Ottoman Government “ of a nature to terminate the present contro­
versy,*’ and Anlhopoulo Pasba was instructed to ask for their confirmation.
The following note was accordingly addressed to him
Tho Marquess of Lansdowno to Anthopoulo Pasha.
Foreign Office,
Your Excellency, 11th September 1901•
I havo taken nole with satisfaction of the telegram from the Turkish Minister for
Foreign Affairs, communicated by you on tho 9th instant, in wliich His Excellency states that
the Turkish Government will not send troops to Koweit, and will maintain the status quo
there, on condition that His Majesty’s Government will abstain from occupying that place
or establishing a British protectorate there.
I have pleasure in confirming the assurance which has been given to llis Excellency by
His Majesty’s Ambassador at Constantinople that, provided the Turkish Government abstain
from sending troops to Koweit and respect the status quo there, llis Majesty’s Government
will not occupy that place or establish a British Protectorate over it.
I am, etc.,
LANSDOWNE.
In his telegram, dated 7th September 1901, Lord Lansdowno had instructed
Sir N. O’Conor to communicate tho same expression of satisfaction to the
Porte.
In his despatch dated 10th September 1901 Sir N. O’Conor reported that
he bad communicated the note to tho Minister for Foreign Affairs and
added :—
“ In the course of the recent negotiations I had not only to try to dissuade the Ottoman
Government from atlackiug Koweit, but also to make it quite clear that His Majesty’s
Government, although willing to respect the status quo, could not admit the Sultan's
sovereignty, or suffer any interference with the affairs of Kowcit. I felt that, unless we
mentioned this principle and held our ground firmly, our position would be very difficult if
the German Government attempt, as they most likoly will do, to treat directly with the
Sultan for a terminal station at Koweit for the Bagdad Railway, and to ignore the existing
Agreement between His Majesty’s Government and tho Sheikh Mubarak. They hare already,
as shown by the report of the Railway Commission, endeavoured to negotiate direct with the
Sheikh aud have failed. In proportion as we make it difficult for them to do so with the
Sultan, we increase, I venture to think, tho chances of their being obliged to cotre to a special
understanding with llis Majesty’s Government. It can hardly be in their iutcrcst, in view
of our friendly attitude towards their scheme, and the possible co-operation of the London
market, to alienate British sympathy or to creato difficulties aud embarrassments for the
Anatolian Railway Company in a question which may prove in the end to be mainly a matter
of form.
In a secrot telegram, dated the 7th Septembor, Lord Lansdowno, whilo
pointing out that “ the situation requires very careful handling, as our arrange­
ment with tho Sheikh is not very precise, and it was entered into without tho
knowledge or concurrence of the Porte, ” instructed Sir N. O’Conor that “ wo
cannot recede from our posiliont and if the Forte should insist on raising
question of their rights, we may have to convert into something much more pre*
cise the present indefinite understanding with the Shcihh."