AN INDEPENDENT PERSIA

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 102, 23 January 1918, Page 5

AN INDEPENDENT PERSIA

ANGLO-RUSSIAN AGREEMENT CF

1907 SUSPENDED. (Ucc. January 23, 0.50 a.m.)

London, January 21. In the House of Lords, Lord Curzon announced that Great Britain had informed the- Persian Government that Britain regarded the Anglo-Russian agreoment of 1907 as being suspended, and emphasised the fact that Ikifciin desired Persia to remain neutral during: the war and return to complete independence after the -war.—Reuter.

The Anglo-Russian Convention of 1907 provided :— (1) North of a line drawn from Kasi-i-Sherin, Isfahan, Yeza, and Kakh to the junctions of the Russian, Persian, and Afghan frontiers Great Britain undertook to seek no political or commercial concession and to refrain from opposing the acquisition of any such concession by Russia or Russian subjects. (2) Russia gave a similar undertaking in respect of the territory south of a line from the Afghan frontier to Gazik, Birjend, Kerman, and Bander Abbasi.

(3) The territory between the lines mentioned was to be regarded as a neutral zone, in which either country might obtain concessions.

(4) All existing concessions in any part of Persia were to be <respeeted. _ (5) Should Persia fail to meet her liabilities in respect of loans contracted, before the signaturo of the Convention, with the Persian Banque d'Esoompte and de Prets,_ or with the Imperial Bank of Persia, Great Britain and Russia reserved the right to assume control of the Tevonues payable within their respectivo spheres of influence.

The Persian Gulf was placed outside the scope of the Convention; Britain's special interests therein were admitted, and their continuity conceded.