The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-11-26
Text of Sec. Co.by's Note To
Britain on Near East Oil

The tert OF Secretary Cotbys
note 20 Great Britain on The SUB
ject OF The open door, IN Mesopota
mia, folLows:
The Right Honorable Earl CurEon
Of kedleston. X. O..
His MaJesty's Secretary OF state
tor Foreign Affairs
November 20. 1920.
Ny LOrd---I have the honor 70
refer TO your note OF August 0 re-
garding the application OF tho
principle OF equality vi treatment
to the territories OF the Near East
To be placed under mandates. and
specifically to the petroleum re-
sources of those territories as af-
fected by that principle.
BEFORE considering the obaerya-
tons OF his majesty's government
on the general principles adVocat-
cd by the United States. and agreed
10 h. the allied powers. for applica-
tion 10 the mandates over former
Turkish territory, as outlined in the
notes OF May IL and July rs. ad-
dressed to you on behait or this
government. | think IL will clarity
the discussion to indicate certain of
your statements and assurances
which this government has been
pleased 10 receive. Thus, ! note
that the assignment to Great
Britain OF the mandate for
Mesopotamia was made and ac-
cepted subject 10 no friendly ar
ranGement whatever with any
third government regarding eco
nomic rights. which. OF course.
would have been wholly at variance
with the purpose and contemplation
of any mandate.
l; is also gratifying To learn
his majesty's government is in full
sympathy with the several PROPOSE
tions formulated in the note OF May
IL, above referred to. which embody
or illustrate the principles which
this government believes should be
applied in the inundated regions.
and which are essential TO the
practical realization OF equality OF
treatment.
ADMITS GOOD FAITH.
The statements OF your note, TO
the effect that the British govern
ment has refrained from exploit
1 ing the petroleum resources Of the
inundated territoritics in question:
that the operations referred to
have been conducted for purely
military purposes under the Inn
mediate supervision OF the army
authorities and at army expense;
and that no private interests
whatever arc in any way involved.
arc accepted with a full sense of
the good faith Of the British GOV
erumcnt.
Tho Government OF the United
States notes that his majejsty's
to suspend, during the period of
occupation, the grant of facilities
and opportunities to British rs
we'll as to other private interests
to investigate the natural re-
sources of the country, either for
the purpose of acquiring new
claims or Strengthening old ones.
and that there IL no reason for
assuming that the administration
either OF Mesopotamia or of Pales-
tine has at any time failed to carry
out the assurances Of his majejsty's
government.
This Government welcomes your
pledges to the effect that the nat
ural resources OF Mesopotannsa arc
to be secured TO the people OF Neso-
potamia and to the future Arab
state, to be established in that
region. and that il is the purpose
of the British government, fully
alive to it's obligation al n temper
airy occupant, not only to secure
those resources to the Mesoopo-
tamian state, but also to absolute
freedom of action in the control
thereof, and in particular that il is
far from the intention Of tho man
datory power to establish any kind
OF monopoly or preferred position
in its own interest.
The. Government OF the United
States appreciates, likewise, the
Concurrence with it's view that the
merits of all claims TO rights al
legged to have been acquired in the
inundated territories before the
outbreak of hostilIties must be duly
established before recognition.
Adverting, at this point, to the
views of his majesty's Govern
ment regarding the nature Of the
responsibilities of mandatory pow
ers under the League of Nations,
desire to call to the attention of
HIS majesty's Government, the fact
that, while the draft mandate,
Form A, was not adopted at Paris.
1t was the understanding of the
American representatives, there
present, that the British govern
ment entertained and had expressed
convictions favorable to said form,
and that, presumably. its repre-
sentatives would exercise their in
fluence in conformity with those
convictions.
AMERICA FOR EQu Atty.
I need hardly refer again to the
fact that the Government OF the
United States has consistently