1. File 2718/1907 ‘Persia: Anglo-Russian Agreement (1907)’

Description:

Abstract: The volume contains correspondence, and related notes, regarding negotiations towards the Anglo-Russian Convention of 1907. The focus of negotiations is the definition of British and Russian ‘zones’ in southern and northern Persia respectively. The correspondence is predominantly between the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Sir Edward Grey) and HM Ambassador to Russia (Sir Arthur Nicolson). It also contains input from HM Minister at Tehran (Sir Cecil Arthur Spring-Rice) on the likely public reception of the treaty in Persia, and comments by the Under-Secretary of State for India (Arthur Godley). The attitude of the Government of India is outlined in a Foreign Department memorandum dated 4 February 1904: see folios 182-184.A copy (in both English and French) of the final convention, signed at St Petersburg on 31 August 1907, can be found at folios 16-20. Proposed drafts and proposed amendments (in both English and French) can be found throughout the file. A number of aide-memoires (also in French) supplied by Alexander Isvolsky [Izvolsky], Russia's Foreign Minister, summarising the negotiations are also included.There are no papers in the file covering the period 1908-1912. The volume only contains a single paper from 1913: a minute summarising a conversation between Sir George William Buchanan (HM Ambassador to Russia) and Sergey Dmitrievich Sazonov (Russian Foreign Ministry) regarding amendments desired by the latter to the Anglo-Russian Convention: see folio 5.The file includes a divider which gives the subject number, the year the subject file was opened, the subject heading, and a list of correspondence references by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.Physical description: Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 186; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. Two additional foliation sequences are also present in parallel between ff 3-185, and ff 6-15; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.