890g.01/209
The Consul at Baghdad (Randolph) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 28.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to the American-British-Iraq treaty, which has been under negotiation for several years, and to report that on February 18, 1929, I received a visit from Saiyid Hussain Afnan, Master of Ceremonies of the Iraq Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who informed me that he came under instructions from his chief, Sir Abdul Muhsin Beg Al Sa’dun, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, to tell me that the final draft of the Treaty has reached Baghdad and is acceptable to the Iraq Government.
The Master of Ceremonies went on to say that the High Commissioner had urged the Iraq Government to authorize that the Treaty be signed at once but that the Cabinet hesitated to undertake such action, in view of the fact that the present ministers are merely “acting,” in other words, holding office provisionally (after resigning). I was informed, further, that the Prime Minister would be pleased if I would inform my Government that the present draft of the Treaty is quite acceptable and explain the reasons for the Iraq Government’s delay in signing.
In this connection I have the honor to report that the Iraq Government submitted its resignation to the King on January 21, 1929 when the Iraq and British Governments failed to agree on the provisions of the new Military and Financial Agreements and that, at the request of His Majesty the King, the Cabinet consented to carry on provisionally [Page 294] until the arrival of the new High Commissioner Sir Gilbert Clayton, who is expected within a few days.
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I have [etc.]