890G.00/545
The British Embassy to the Department of State
Aide-Mémoire
On April 3rd His Majesty’s Ambassador in Baghdad reported to the Foreign Office that Rashid Ali had taken control of the Government Offices earlier that day. A proclamation was expected to be issued to the effect that the army had assumed the responsibility for the Government of Iraq and had nominated Rashid Ali to take charge of the administration.
[Page 493]Sir Kinahan Cornwallis added that he proposed to have no official relations with this new government.
His Majesty’s Embassy has now been instructed to inform the State Department that His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom are not prepared at present to recognize the new regime in Baghdad. This administration has installed itself without any semblance of legality by a Military Coup and appears to be anti-British and pro-Axis. His Majesty’s Government hope that the United States Government will share their views in the matter and will similarly withhold recognition of the new government. In that case appropriate instructions would no doubt be issued to the United States representative in Baghdad who it is understood has already been in touch with the British Ambassador on the subject.
His Majesty’s Embassy has been instructed to add for the confidential information of the State Department that the Regent of Iraq has left Baghdad and is understood to be safe. Furthermore the attitude of the Provinces, particularly in the south, seems to be definitely hostile to the new regime.