GREAT BRITAIN AND RUSSIA

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13296, 1 October 1906, Page 5

GREAT BRITAIN AND RUSSIA

A REPORTED AGREEMENT. PERSIAN AND TIBETAN QUESTIONS. ' THE DARDANELLES. '. - •- - » By Telegraph Press Association.—Copyricnt. (Received September 30, 5.2 p.m.) London, September 29. The London Daily Telegraph, says the Tsar and King Edward are about to sign an agreement in regard to the affairs of Tibet and of Persia. Russia, it is stated, has agreed not to interfere in the internal affairs of Tibet. The powers of the Dalai Lama in future are to be spiritual only. He is no longer to receive protection from Russia. The Daily Telegraph adds that it is probable that under the agreement Russia's sphere of influence in Persia is to be confined to the north of the Aran, and 1 Great Britain's sphere to the south of it. It is hinted by the same newspaper that under the agreement Russian warships, so far as Great Britain is concerned, will be no longer excluded from the Dardanelles. The Dalai Lama since his flight from Lliassa in 1904- on the approach of General Maedonald's force has been living mostly in Mongolia. Last year he received a number of presents from the Tsar. At the instance of the British Government ,the Chinese authorities have been watching- him. He has been ordered" to return to Lhassa, but hitherto has refused to do so, for return, ho believes, would mean his death. Thore is no doubt; that it was with the advice and as- . sistance of the Russian agent at Lhassa that the Dalai Lama fled his country. Some time ago it was stated that the majority of the citizens of Lhassa were longing for the return of their chief priest and ruler, but that the high priests and abbots in the Potala Palace were not in favour of it, because tßey • considered it would mean the final downfall of Russian influence in the country. They prediJt a rebellious outbreak should he return. The deposing of the Dalai Lama, who is supreme ruler, from political power would be a revolution, for it might imply the taking of power out of tlio hands of the priests. As to the Persian part of the proposed agreement, the Aran referred to are high tablelands running between the Hindu Kushk Mountains in Afghanistan and the mountains that roach to the northern end of the Persian Gulf. Great Britain's aim in this division of the country would be to put an end to Russia's dreams of a railway from the Caspian Sea to the Persian Gulf and thus to strengthen her own position in the Gulf. It is important to Russia that she should have tRe passage of the Dardanelles for her warships, as she has decided to build no more warships in the Black Sea ports. The fleet she had there was of no service to her in war with Japan.