SYKES-PICOT AGREEMENT

          LETTER FROM SIR EDWARD GREY TO PAUL CAMBON, 16 MAY, 1916

     I HAVE THE HONOUR TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE RECEIPT OF YOUR EXCELLENCY'S NOTE OF

THE 9TH INSTANT, STATING THAT THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT ACCEPT THE LIMITS OF A

FUTURE ARAB STATE, OR CONFEDERATION OF STATES, AND OF THOSE PARTS OF SYRIA

WHERE FRENCH INTERESTS PREDOMINATE, TOGETHER WITH CERTAIN CONDITIONS ATTACHED

THERETO, SUCH AS THEY RESULT FROM RECENT DISCUSSIONS IN LONDON AND PETROGRAD ON

THE SUBJECT.

     I HAVE THE HONOUR TO INFORM YOUR EXCELLENCY IN REPLY THAT THE ACCEPTANCE

OF THE WHOLE PROJECT, AS IT NOW STANDS, WILL INVOLVE THE ABDICATION OF

CONSIDERABLE BRITISH INTERESTS, BUT, SINCE HIS MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT RECOGNISE

THE ADVANTAGE TO THE GENERAL CAUSE OF THE ALLIES ENTAILED IN PRODUCING A MORE

FAVOURABLE INTERNAL POLITICAL SITUATION IN TURKEY, THEY ARE READY TO ACCEPT THE

ARRANGEMENT NOW ARRIVED AT, PROVIDED THAT THE CO-OPERATION OF THE ARABS IS

SECURED, AND THAT THE ARABS FULFILL THE CONDITIONS AND OBTAIN THE TOWNS OF

HOMS, HAMA, DAMASCUS AND ALEPPO.

     IT IS ACCORDINGLY UNDERSTOOD BETWEEN THE FRENCH AND BRITISH GOVERNMENTS---

     1. THAT FRANCE AND GREAT BRITAIN ARE PREPARED TO RECOGNIZE AND PROTECT AN

INDEPENDENT ARAB STATES OR A CONFEDERATION OF ARAB STATES (A) AND (B) MARKED ON

THE ANNEXED MAP, UNDER THE SUZERAINTY OF AN ARAB CHIEF. THAT IN AREA (A)

FRANCE, AND IN AREA (B) GREAT BRITAIN, SHALL HAVE PRIORITY OF RIGHT OF

ENTERPRISE AND LOCAL LOANS. THAT IN AREA (A) FRANCE, AND IN AREA (B) GREAT

BRITAIN, SHALL ALONE SUPPLY ADVISERS OR FOREIGN FUNCTIONARIES AT THE REQUEST OF

THE ARAB STATE OR CONFEDERATION OF ARAB STATES.

     2. THAT IN THE BLUE AREA FRANCE, AND IN THE RED AREA GREAT BRITAIN, SHALL

BE ALLOWED TO ESTABLISH SUCH DIRECT OR INDIRECT ADMINISTRATION OR CONTROL AS

THEY DESIRE AND AS THEY MAY THINK FIT TO ARRANGE WITH THE ARAB STATE OR

CONFEDERATION OF ARAB STATES.

     3. THAT IN THE BROWN AREA THERE SHALL BE ESTABLISHED AN INTERNATIONAL

ADMINISTRATION, THE FORM OF WHICH IS TO BE DECIDED UPON AFTER CONSULTATION WITH

RUSSIA, AND SUBSEQUENTLY IN CONSULTATION WITH THE OTHER ALLIES, AND THE

REPRESENTATIVES OF THE SHEREEF OF MECCA.

     4. THAT GREAT BRITAIN BE ACCORDED (1) THE PORTS OF HAIFA AND ACRE, (2)

GUARANTEE OF A GIVEN SUPPLY OF WATER FROM THE TIGRIS AND EUPHRATES IN AREA (A)

FOR AREA (B). HIS MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT, ON THEIR PART, UNDERTAKE THAT THEY WILL

AT NO TIME ENTER INTO NEGOTIATIONS FOR THE CESSION OF CYPRUS TO ANY THIRD POWER

WITHOUT THE PREVIOUS CONSENT OF THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT.

     5. THAT ALEXANDRETTA SHALL BE A FREE PORT AS REGARDS THE TRADE OF THE

BRITISH EMPIRE, AND THAT THERE SHALL BE NO DISCRIMINATION IN PORT CHARGES OR

FACILITIES AS REGARDS BRITISH SHIPPING AND BRITISH GOODS; THAT THERE SHALL BE

FREEDOM OF TRANSIT FOR BRITISH GOODS THROUGH ALEXANDRETTA AND BY RAILWAY

THROUGH THE BLUE AREA, OR (B) AREA, OR AREA (A); AND THERE SHALL BE NO

DISCRIMINATION, DIRECT OR INDIRECT, AGAINST BRITISH GOODS ON ANY RAILWAY OR

AGAINST BRITISH GOODS OR SHIPS AT ANY PORT SERVING THE AREAS MENTIONED.

     THAT HAIFA SHALL BE A FREE PORT AS REGARDS THE TRADE OF FRANCE, HER

DOMINIONS AND PROTECTORATES, AND THERE SHALL BE NO DISCRIMINATION IN PORT

CHARGES OR FACILITIES AS REGARDS FRENCH SHIPPING AND FRENCH GOODS. THERE SHALL

BE FREEDOM OF TRANSIT FOR FRENCH GOODS THROUGH HAIFA AND BY THE BRITISH RAILWAY

THROUGH THE BROWN AREA, WHETHER THOSE GOODS ARE INTENDED FOR OR ORIGINATE IN

THE BLUE AREA, AREA (A), OR AREA (B), AND THERE SHALL BE NO DISCRIMINATION,

DIRECT OR INDIRECT, AGAINST FRENCH GOODS ON ANY RAILWAY, OR AGAINST FRENCH

GOODS OR SHIPS AT ANY PORT SERVING THE AREAS MENTIONED.

     6. THAT IN AREA (A) THE BAGDAD RAILWAY SHALL NOT BE EXTENDED SOUTHWARDS

BEYOND MOSUL, AND IN AREA (B) NORTHWARDS BEYOND SAMARRA, UNTIL A RAILWAY

CONNECTING BAGDAD AND ALEPPO VIA THE EUPHRATES VALLEY HAS BEEN COMPLETED, AND

THEN ONLY WITH THE CONCURRENCE OF THE TWO GOVERNMENTS.

     7. THAT GREAT BRITAIN HAS THE RIGHT TO BUILD, ADMINISTER, AND BE SOLE

OWNER OF A RAILWAY CONNECTING HAIFA WITH AREA (B), AND SHALL HAVE A PERPETUAL

RIGHT TO TRANSPORT TROOPS ALONG SUCH A LINE AT ALL TIMES.

     IT IS TO BE UNDERSTOOD BY BOTH GOVERNMENTS THAT THIS RAILWAY IS TO

FACILITATE THE CONNEXION OF BAGDAD WITH HAIFA BY RAIL, AND IT IS FURTHER

UNDERSTOOD THAT, IF THE ENGINEERING DIFFICULTIES AND EXPENSE ENTAILED BY

KEEPING THIS CONNECTING LINE IN THE BROWN AREA ONLY MAKE THE PROJECT

UNFEASIBLE, THAT THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT SHALL BE PREPARED TO CONSIDER THAT THE

LINE IN QUESTION MAY ALSO TRAVERSE THE POLGON BANIAS-KEIS MARIB-SALKHAD TELL

OTSDA-MESMIE BEFORE REACHING AREA (B).

     8. FOR A PERIOD OF TWENTY YEARS THE EXISTING TURKISH CUSTOMS TARIFF SHALL

REMAIN IN FORCE THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE OF THE BLUE AND RED AREAS, AS WELL AS IN

AREAS (A) AND (B), AND NO INCREASE IN THE RATES OF DUTY OR CONVERSIONS FROM AD

VALOREM TO SPECIFIC RATES SHALL BE MADE EXCEPT BY AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TWO

POWERS.

     THERE SHALL BE NO INTERIOR CUSTOMS BARRIERS BETWEEN ANY OF THE ABOVE

MENTIONED AREAS. THE CUSTOMS DUTIES LEVIABLE ON GOODS DESTINED FOR THE INTERIOR

SHALL BE COLLECTED AT THE PORT OF ENTRY AND HANDED OVER TO THE ADMINISTRATION

OF THE AREA OF DESTINATION.

     9. IT SHALL BE AGREED THAT THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT WILL AT NO TIME ENTER

INTO ANY NEGOTIATIONS FOR THE CESSION OF THEIR RIGHTS AND WILL NOT CEDE SUCH

RIGHTS INT HE BLUE AREA TO ANY THIRD POWER, EXCEPT THE ARAB STATE OR

CONFEDERATION OF ARAB STATES, WITHOUT THE PREVIOUS AGREEMENT OF HIS MAJESTY'S

GOVERNMENT, WHO, ON THEIR PART, WILL GIVE A SIMILAR UNDERTAKING TO THE FRENCH

GOVERNMENT REGARDING THE RED AREA.

     10. THE BRITISH AND FRENCH GOVERNMENT, AS THE PROTECTORS OF THE ARAB

STATE, SHALL AGREE THAT THEY WILL NOT THEMSELVES ACQUIRE AND WILL NOT CONSENT

TO A THIRD POWER ACQUIRING TERRITORIAL POSSESSIONS IN THE ARABIAN PENINSULA,

NOR CONSENT TO A THIRD POWER INSTALLING A NAVAL BASE EITHER ON THE EAST COAST,

OR ON THE ISLANDS, OF THE RED SEA. THIS, HOWEVER, SHALL NOT PREVENT SUCH

ADJUSTMENT OF THE ADEN FRONTIER AS MAY BE NECESSARY IN CONSEQUENCE OF RECENT

TURKISH AGGRESSION.

     11. THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE ARABS AS TO THE BOUNDARIES OF THE ARAB

STATES SHALL BE CONTINUED THROUGH THE SAME CHANNEL AS HERETOFORE ON BEHALF OF

THE TWO POWERS.

     12. IT IS AGREED THAT MEASURES TO CONTROL THE IMPORTATION OF ARMS INTO THE

ARAB TERRITORIES WILL BE CONSIDERED BY THE TWO GOVERNMENTS.

     I HAVE FURTHER THE HONOUR TO STATE THAT, IN ORDER TO MAKE THE AGREEMENT

COMPLETE, HIS MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT ARE PROPOSING TO THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT TO

EXCHANGE NOTES ANALAGOUS TO THOSE EXCHANGED BY THE LATTER AND YOUR EXCELLENCY'S

GOVERNMENT ON THE 26TH APRIL LAST. COPIES OF THESE NOTES WILL BE COMMUNICATED

TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AS SOON AS EXCHANGED.

     I WOULD ALSO VENTURE TO REMIND YOUR EXCELLENCY THAT THE CONCLUSION OF THE

PRESENT AGREEMENT RAISES, FOR PRATICAL CONSIDERATION, THE QUESTION OF CLAIMS OF

ITALY TO A SHARE IN ANY PARTITION OR REARRANGEMENT OF TURKEY IN ASIA, AS

FORMULATED IN ARTICLE 9 OF THE AGREEMENT OF THE 26TH APRIL, 1915, BETWEEN ITALY

AND THE ALLIES.

     HIS MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT FURTHER CONSIDER THAT THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT

SHOULD BE INFORMED OF THE ARRANGEMENTS NOW CONCLUDED.

                                           SIR EDWARD GREY