767.68119T&M/47: Telegram
The Special Mission at Lausanne to the Secretary of State
[Received January 21—11 a.m.]
202. It has been intimated to Child by the British delegation that the meeting of the first commission on territorial and military affairs on the morning of January 23, which will consider the Mosul territorial problem, may result in referring this question to arbitration. It is the feeling of the British that the Turks may be willing to arrange in some way to have the question arbitrated, as the Turks [Page 954] do not desire to leave it to exclusive British-Turkish negotiation. Our position heretofore has been that in whatever way the territorial question is settled we will insist upon each side recognizing our policy either as set forth in the note of Secretary Colby65 and subsequent statements, or under the general principle of the Open Door. We do not think that there has been any substantial arrangement between either the British and Turkish Governments or their nationals vitally affecting the distribution of participation in the oil resources by various national interests. We invite the Department’s instructions, comment, or suggestions upon this subject.
- See note of Nov. 20, 1920, to the British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Foreign Relations, 1920, vol. ii, p. 669.↩