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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
OPIUM.
CONFIDENTIAL.
583
-[November 17.]
SECTION 2.
[136878]
(No. 1353.) My Lord,
No. 1.
Earl Curzon to the Earl of Derby.
Foreign Office, November 17, 1919. IN bis despatch No. 574 of the 30th December, 1918, copy of which is enclosed herewith His Majesty's Minister at Peking put forward the suggestion that, in view of way from the large amount of opium that is credibly reported to be still making its India by various channels into China, it would be desirable to prohibit the entire export of Indian opium for shipment to the Far East.
This recommendation was brought to the notice of the India Office, and a reply has now been received from that Department, copy of which is enclosed.
The Government of India hold the view, which is endorsed by the India Office, that they cannot reasonably be asked to make the sacrifice of revenue involved in a total prohibition of their export of opium to the Far East, while such a step, owing to the recrudescence of cultivation in China, would bring no corresponding benefit to that country. They propose, however, as a measure promising a effective control in con- sonance with the provisions of the International Opium Convention of 1912, that the system of direct sales to the Governments of the consuming countries should be extended to Indo-China and Japan. According to this arrangement the Government of the importing country states the amount of its legitimate annual requirements, thus relieving the Government of India of any suspicion of exporting excessive quantities to the country in question. Agreements of this nature have already been concluded between the Government of India and the Governments of Siam, the Dutch East Indies, Hong Kong, the Straits Settlements, and British North Borneo, and a copy of the agreement with the Straits Settlements will be found annexed to the enclosed despatch from the Government of India.
I have to request that your Excellency will approach the French Government in accordance with the desire expressed by the India Office, and enquire whether they would be prepared to negotiate an agreement with the Government of India on the lines proposed.
I am requesting His Majesty's representative at Tokyo to address a similar enquiry to the Japanese Government.
I am, &c.
CURZON OF KEDLESTON,
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