CO129-477 - Public Offices - 1922 — Page 166

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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]

TIBET AND MONGOLIA.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[F 798/798/10]

No. 1.

[February 21.]

SECTION 1.

Sir B. Alston to the Marquess Curzon of Kedleston.-(Received February 21.)

(No. 4.) My Lord,

Peking, January 5, 1922. WITH reference to my despatch No. 610 of the 21st October, I have the honour to report that, according to the issue of the 24th December of the "Shuntien Shih Pao," a Japanese organ published in Chinese in this city, a treaty has been concluded at Moscow between the Soviet Government and the present "Red" Mongolian Government. The terms of the treaty are stated to be as follows :—

Article 1.-The Independent Government of Mongolia and the Soviet Government mutually grant each other legal recognition.

Article 2.-Mutual aid shall be given in disposing of any bodies which may take hostile steps in regard to the two Governments.

Article 3.-Diplomatic and consular officers shall be exchanged.

Article 4.-Both parties agree to respect the rights and duties of the people.

Article 5.-Barbarous methods of punishment shall be abandoned, and special

privileges in regard to the criminal law shall be mutually abolished.

Article 6.Customs tariffs shall be agreed upon.

Article 7.-The Soviet Governinent will concede certain telegraph lines to the Mongolian Government.

A

a telegram The organ giving the information states that it has received it from from Europe received in a certain quarter in Peking.". However this may be, the terms mentioned are such as may well have been agreed upon by the delegation which, as stated in the enclosure to the despatch above referred to, has proceeded to Moscow for the purpose of making a treaty.

From information received since the date of the above despatch I learn tliat the Russian troops quartered at Urga have been reduced to 800, and that very few Russians continue in the employ of the Mongolian Government. Opposition to Russia "Whites" and of the on the part of the present authorities as well as of the Mongolian people generally is stated to have grown considerably, and non-Russian observers at Urga would not be surprised to see an effort on the part of the Mongols to get rid of the Russians as they have of the Chinese. Law and order is, however, still maintained at Urga, and trade with Kalgan and Manchuli continues, though only to the extent of a fraction of what it was in normal times.

(Copy to Tokyo.)

[7968 x-1]

I have, &c.

B. ALSTON.

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