Motivation and Negotiations Sykes–Picot Agreement

edward grey signed agreement british

in constantinople agreement earlier in 1915, following start of naval operations in run gallipoli campaign russian foreign minister, sergey sazonov, wrote french , uk ambassadors , staked claim constantinople , straits of dardanelles. in series of diplomatic exchanges on 5 weeks, uk , france both agreed, while putting forward own claims, increased sphere of influence in iran in case of uk , annex of syria (including palestine) , cilicia france. uk , french claims both agreed sides agreeing exact governance of holy places left later settlement. although agreement never implemented because of russian revolution, in force direct motivation @ time sykes–picot agreement being negotiated.

the report of de bunsen committee, prepared determine british wartime policy toward ottoman empire, , submitted in june 1915, concluded that, in case of partition or zones of influence options, there should british sphere of influence included palestine while accepting there relevant french , russian islamic interests in jerusalem , holy places.

on 21 october 1915, grey met cambon , suggested france appoint representative discuss future borders of syria britain wished creation of independent arab state. @ point grey faced competing claims french , hussein , day before had sent telegram cairo telling high commissioner vague possible in next letter sharif when discussing northwestern, syrian, corner of territory husein claimed , left mcmahon discretion in matter urgent , there not time discuss exact formula , adding, if more precise required can give it.

mark sykes had been dispatched on instructions of war office @ beginning of june discuss committee s findings british authorities in near , middle east , @ same time study situation on spot. went athens, gallipoli, sofia, cairo, aden, cairo second time , india coming basra in september , third time cairo in november (where appraised of mcmahon–hussein correspondence) before returning home on 8 december , delivering report war committee on 16 december.

the first meeting of british interdepartmental committee headed sir arthur nicolson françois georges-picot had taken place on 23 november 1915. picot informed nicolson committee france claimed possession of land starting taurus mts approach sea in cilicia, following taurus mountains , mountains further east, include diabekr, mosul , kerbela, , returning deir zor on euphrates , there southwards along desert border, finishing @ egyptian frontier. picot, however, added prepared propose french government throw mosul arab pool, if did in case of bagdad .

a second meeting of nicolson committee picot took place on 21 december 1915 wherein picot said had obtained permission agree towns of aleppo, hama, homs , damscus being included in arab dominions administered arabs. although french had scaled demands extent, british claimed want include lebanon in future arab state , meeting ended @ impasse.

on 28 december, mark sykes informed clayton had been given picot negotiations . on 3 january 1916, initialled memorandum forwarded foreign office , after having been circulated comments, interdepartmental conference convened nicolson on 21 january. on 16 january, sykes told foreign office had spoken picot , thought paris able agree.following meeting, final draft agreement circulated cabinet on 2 february, war committee considered on 3rd , @ meeting on 4th between bonar law, mr chamberlain, lord kitchener , others decided that:

m. picot may inform government acceptance of whole project entail abdication of considerable british interests, provided cooperation of arabs secured, , arabs fulfil conditions , obtain towns of homs, hama, damascus , aleppo, british government not object arrangement. but, blue area extends far eastwards, , affects russian interests, absolutely essential that, before concluded, consent of russia obtained.

picot informed , 5 days later cambon told nicolson french government in accord proposals concerning arab question .

later, in february , march, sykes , picot, acted advisors sir george buchanan , french ambassador respectively, during negotiations sazonov. eventually, russia having agreed (for price, obtained large portions of ottoman territory in bargain, including constantinople , straits) on 26 april 1916, final terms sent paul cambon, french ambassador in london, secretary of state foreign affairs, edward grey, on 9 may 1916, , ratified in grey s reply on 16 may 1916.

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