PERSIA.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 January 1921, Page 5

PERSIA.

; A CRITICAL POSITION. ABDICATION OF THE SHAH. CABINET RESIGNS. By. Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. 1 Received Jan. 17, 10.50 p.m. London, Jan. 16. It is understood a critical position exists in Persia. The Shah’s abdication and the Cabinet’s resignation are reported. / It is not. known what is actually happening at Teheran, but it is feared untoward events are taking place. The Shah has repeatedly expressed his wish to leave the capital.—Times service. Recent events in Persia have pointed to a crisis on the lines suggested by the cable message arising at any moment, and ft has special importance just now as influencing Britain’s policy in the past. Last November the Shah opened an extraordinary Council meeting at the Palace, at which members of the Government outlined the country’s desperate situation, stating that it was menaced externally from the north and was without internal resources. They also referred to the recent Note from Britain, stating that the British Government expected the National Assembly to meet within a month and ratify the agreement with Great Britain, and that, failing this, British troops would be withdrawn. The meeting declined to accede to the Government’s proposal to elect a commision to share responsibility with the Cabinet fill Parliament meets. It was decided that Parliament should meet immediately to deal with the situation. It was expected the Mejliss (National Assembly) will meet by the New Year. The Anglo-Persian Agreement, which awaits ratification by the Persian National Assembly, was negotiated in August, 1919. After pledging Britain to respect the absolute independence of the country, the agreement undertakes that Britain shall supply at the cost of Persia, such expert advisers as are considered necessary for the administration, and also shall lend officers for a new uniform military and police force. The agreement also includes an undertaking that Britain shall co-operate with Persia for the encouragement of Anglo-Persian enterprise to improve the means of communication by railway construction and other forms of transport. Britain’s threat to withdraw her forces in Persia failing the ratifcation of this agreement is-- due' to the fact that the upkeep of British forces which are now defending Persia against Bolshevik inroads from the Caspian is at present a charge op the British taxpayer, instead of on' tbe Persian Government.