MESOPOTAMIA OIL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVIII, Issue 18573, 27 November 1920, Page 9

MESOPOTAMIA OIL.

UNITED STATES CONCERNED ABOUT MANDATE. SEEKS SHARE IN PRIVILEGES. By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright. An.trali.il and N.Z. Cabla Association (Received November 26, 10.25 p.m.) WASHINGTON, November 26. The United States Government in a Note to Britain, dated November 20 nays it does not propose to no excluded from participation in rights and priviunder the mandates provided In. the treaties of peace- Furthermore it expectß to bo heard regarding the terms of the mandates. The specific question discussed is the Mesopotamian petroleum holds. Tic* United States takes issue with what is described as the British position that mandate agreements and treaties are to bo considered only by tlio States which are members of the League of Nations. The United States, As a participant in tho war and a contributor to the successful conclusion, cannot consider any of tho associated Powers, the smallest not less than itself, being debarred from discussion of any of its consequences. _ _ It consistently urges that it is of the ■utmost importance to tho future peace of the world that alien territory transferred as a result of tho war ill on Id bo administered in such a way as would assure equal treatment to .the commerce and citizens of all nations. The United States requests that a draft of the mandates for Mesopotamia, and Palestine he communicated for its consideration before submission to the League. Tho fact con not be ignored that tho reported resources of Mesopotamia have interested public opinion in tho United States, Britain and other countries as a potential subject of economio strife. The United States finds difficulty in reconciling the special arrangements set forth in the so-called San Remo petroleum agreement between Britain and France with tho British Government’s statement that the petroleum resources of Mesopotamia and freedom of notion in regard thereto will be secured to a future Arab state as yet unorganised. The United States is at a loss to understand how to construe the provision* in the San Remo agreement that any private petroleum company that may develop the Mesopotamian fields will bo under permanent British control.