The
Husain-McMahon Letters (excerpt)
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The
McMahon Letter
From
The Israel-Arab Reader, (3rd Ed.) edited, Walter Laqueur, Bantam Books, 1976.
"Sir
Henry McMahon (1862-1949), British High Commissioner in Cairo, negotiated in
1915-16 with Husain Ibn Ali, the Sherif of Mecca. The British government
promised to support his bid for the restoration of the Caliphate (and
leadership in the Arab world)...."
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October
24, 1915.
I
have received your letter of the 29th Shawal, 1333, with much pleasure and your
expression of friendliness and sincerity have given me the greatest
satisfaction.
I
regret that you should have received from my last letter the impression that I
regarded the question of limits and boundaries with coldness and hesitation;
such was not the case, but it appeared to me that the time had not yet come
when that question could be discussed in a conclusive manner.
I
have realised, however, from your last letter that you regard this question as
one of vital and urgent importance. I have, therefore, lost no time in
informing the Government of Great Britain of the contents of your letter, and
it is with great pleasure that I communicate to you on their behalf the
following statement, which I am confident you will receive with satisfaction. -
The
two districts of Mersina and Alexandretta and portions of Syria lying to the
west of the districts of Damascus, Homs, Hama.and Aleppo cannot be said to be
purely Arab, and should be excluded from the limits demanded.
With
the above modification, and without prejudice to our existing treaties with
Arab chiefs, we accept those limits.
As
for those regions lying within those frontiers wherein Great Britain is free to
act without detriment to the interests of her ally, France, I am empowered in
the name of the Government of Great Britain to give the following assurances
and make the following assurances and make the following reply to your letter:
(1)
Subject to the above modifications, Great Britain is prepared to recognise and
support the independence of the Arabs in all the regions within the limits
demanded by the Sherif of Mecca.
(2)
Great Britain will guarantee the Holy Places against all external aggression
and will recognise their inviolability.
(3)
When the situation admits, Great Britain will give to the Arabs her advice and
will assist them to establish what may appear to be the most suitable forms of
government those various territories.
(4)
On the other hand, it is understood that the Arabs have decided to seek the
advice and guidance of Great Britain only, and that such European advisers and
officials as may be required for the formation of a sound form of administration
will be British.
(5)
With regard to the vilayets of Bagdad and Basra, the Arabs will recognise that the
established position and interests of Great Britain necessitate special
administrative arrangements in order to secure these territories from foreign
aggression to promote the welfare of the local populations and to safeguard our
mutual economic interests.
I am
convinced that this declaration will assure you beyond all possible doubt of
the sympathy of Great Britain towards the aspirations of her friends the Arabs
and will result in a firm and lasting alliance, the immediate results of which
will be the expulsion of the Turks from the Arab countries and the freeing of
the Arab peoples from the Turkish yoke, which for so many years has pressed
heavily upon them.
I
have confined myself in this letter to the more vital and important questions,
and if there are any other matters dealt with in your letters which I have
omitted to mention, we may discuss them at some convenient date in the future.
It
was with very great relief and satisfaction that I heard of the safe arrival of
the Holy Carpet and the accompanying offerings which, thanks to the clearness
of your directions and the excellence of your arrangements, were landed without
trouble or mishap in spite of the dangers and difficulties occasioned by the
present sad war. May God soon bring a lasting peace and freedom of all peoples.
I am
sending this letter by the hand of your trusted and excellent messenger, Sheikh
Mohammed ibn Arif ibn Uraifan, and he will inform you of the various matters of
interest, but of less vital importance, which I have not mentioned in this
letter.
(Compliments).
(Signed): A. HENRY MCMAHON.