Sykes-Picot Memorandum

Sykes and Georges-Picot, Memorandum, not dated, and Nicolson, covering letter, 5 January 1916

F.O. 371/2767/2522

Arab Question

Note

This memorandum was drawn up under the following circumstances: After the committee under the presidency of Sir A. Nicolson had met M. Picot twice, it became apparent that there were so many details which required separate consideration that either more time would have to be devoted to the work by the committee than the press of other business on its various members would permit, or that negotiations would be prolonged which, in view of the military and political situation in the Near East, was undesirable. Sir A. Nicolson therefore suggested that M. Picot and I should examine the whole question so as to clear the ground of details and collaborate with him in drawing up a memorandum which would co-relate the various factors of the general problem.

M. S[ykes]

I. — Preliminary Observation

The main problem to be solved is to discover a middle course which will harmonise with the requirements of the various parties, which are as follows :

(a) France requires a settlement which (1) while compensating her for the inconvenience and loss attendant upon the disruption of the Ottoman Empire, will (2) safeguard her historic and traditional position in Syria, (3) assure her of full opportunity of realising her economic aspirations in the Near East.

(b) The Arabs require (1) recognition of their nationality, (2) protection of their race from alien oppression, and (3) an opportunity of re-establishing their position as a contributing factor in the world's progress.

(c) Great Britain requires (1) to assure her position in the Persian Gulf, (2) opportunity to develop Lower Mesopotamia, (3) (a) commercial and military communication between the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean by land, (b) influence in an area sufficient to provide the personnel engaged in Mesopotamia irrigation work with suitable sanatoria, and hill stations, and containing an adequate native recruiting ground for administrative purposes, (4) to obtain commercial facilities in the area under discussion.

(d) Lastly, such a settlement has to be worked in with an arrangement satisfactory to the conscientious desires of Christianity, Judaeism, and Mohammedanism in regard to the status of Jerusalem and the neighboring shrines.

II

To arrive at a satisfactory settlement the three principal parties must observe a spirit of compromise. This will be obvious when the various claims are regarded individually.

France

The French nation has the following direct interests :

1. Since the earliest times the French have been regarded as the champions and protectors of the Latin Christians in the Ottoman Empire generally, and the especial patrons of the Maronites in the Lebanon owing to the action of the French Government in 1860.

2. Owing to French scholastic effort the French have taken a prominent part in the intellectual development of both Christian and Moslem Arabs during the last century, this has especially been the case in the provinces of Aleppo, Beirout, Damascus and Mosul.

3. Based on the above facts, a strong public opinion has grown up in France favorable to French expansion in Syria and Palestine.

4. The development of French railway enterprises in Syria has confirmed this opinion, and has made it a permanent factor in the average French point of view.

5. The participation of French capital to the extent of 30 per cent. in the Bagdad Railway and the terms of the Franco-Ottoman Loan of 1914 have complicated the case by including in French interests certain areas which would not naturally come under consideration, were the subject-matter of discussion confined to the traditions and activities referred to in paragraphs 1, 2, 3, and 4 of this section.

6. Based on the foregoing, it may be said on the hypothesis that were there no other circumstances to be considered, the French Government might be expected to desire commercial and political predominance in an area bounded on the south by a line drawn from El Arish to Kasr-i-Shirin, and on the north by the main ridge of the Taurus and anti-Taurus, beginning in the vicinity of Cap Anamur and ending about Koshab.

The Arabs

1. Although divided by religion, custom, social habits, and geographic circumstances, there is a considerable desire for unity among the bulk of the peoples of Arabia proper, and the Arabic speaking peoples of the Asiatic provinces of the Ottoman Empire.

2. The leaders of this movement recognise that a closely compacted Arab State is neither in harmony with the national genius of the Arabs nor feasible from the point of view of finance and administration ; however, they are of opinion that if protection against Turkish and German domination is assured, a confederation of Arabic-speaking States could be formed which would satisfy their racial desire for freedom, and at the same time conform with their natural political customs.

3. The ideal of the Arab leaders would be to establish a confederation of States under the aegis of an Arabian prince, roughly approximating to the Arabian peninsula plus the Ottoman provinces of Basra, Bagdad, Jerusalem, Damascus, Aleppo, Mosul, Adana, and Diarbekir, with its littoral under the protection of Great Britain and France. That such a State should agree to select its administrative advisers from subjects of the two protecting Powers, and that it should accord especial facilities to both Powers in matters of enterprise and industrial development.

Great Britain

1. In so far as Great Britain is concerned, her desiderata have already been stated in paragraph (a), Preliminary observation.

2. The ideal solution for Great Britain would be to have administrative control and priority of enterprise in an area bounded by the line Acre, Tadnor, Ras-ul-Ain, Jeziriret-ibn-Omar, Zakhu, Amaida, Rowanduz, combined with the possession of Alexandretta, with a suitable hinterland connecting the Euphrates Valley with the Mediterranean, and rights of railway construction connecting Alexandretta with Bagdad. Further, that Great Britain should have a veto on irrigation schemes likely to divert water from Lower Mesopotamia.

International Religious Interests

As regards Jerusalem and the Holy Places, the following must be borne in mind :

(a) The Latin and Orthodox religions require equal considerations in Palestine.

(b) The members of the Jewish community throughout the world have a conscientious and sentimental interest in the future of the country.

(c) The Mosque of Omar represents, next to Mecca, the most holy and venerable shrine in Islam, and it must be a sine qua non that the Mosque of Omar itself should be under the sole control of Moslems, and that the chief of the Arabian confederation should have an equal voice in the administration of Palestine.

III

The lines of the proposed settlement are as follows:

1. Arabs. — That France and Great Britain should be prepared to recognise and protect a confederation of Arab States in the areas (a) and (b) under the suzerainty of an Arabian chief. That in area (a) France, and in area (b) Great Britain, should have priority of right of enterprise and local loans. That in area (a) France, and in area (b) Great Britain, should alone supply advisers or foreign functionaries at the request of the Arab confederation.

2. Great Britain, should be allowed to establish such direct or indirect administration or control as they desire.

3. That in the brown area there should be established an international administration, the form of which is to be decided upon after consultation with Russia, and subsequently in consultation with Russia, Italy, and the representatives of Islam.

4. That Great Britain be accorded (1) the ports of Haifa and Acre, (2) guarantee of a given supply of water from area (a) for irrigation in area (b). (3) That an agreement be made between France and Great Britain regarding the commercial status of Alexandretta, and the construction of a railway connecting Bagdad with Alexandretta.

5. That Great Britain have the right to build, administer, and be sole owner of a railway connecting Haifa or Acre with area (b), and that Great Britain should have a perpetual right to transport troops 2. That in the blue area France, and in the red area along such a line at all times.

G.P[icot] M.S[ykes]