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THE COUNCIL OF TEN: MINUTES OF MEETINGS
FEBRUARY 15 TO JUNE 17, 1919

Paris Peace Conf. 180.03101/40

BC-33

Secretary's Notes of a Conversation Held in M. Pichon's Room at the Quai d'Orsay, Paris, on Saturday, February 15, 1919, at 3 p. m.

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(PRESENT DURING DISCUSSION OF QUESTION I "SYRIA")

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1. M. CLEMENCEAU having declared the Meeting opened, asked that the Members of the Lebanese Delegation should be admitted.

Syrian Question

(Daoud Bey Mammom, President, Negile Bey Abdel Malek, Druse Delegate, and Abdel Halim Hajjar, Mussulman Delegate, then entered the Council Chamber.) M. Clemenceau called on Daoud Bey Mammom to make his statement.

DAOUD BEY MAMMOM then read the following statement:"Our Delegation holds its mandate from the Great Administrative Council of Mount Lebanon, our national Parliament, elected on democratic bases by the suffrage of the whole nation of Lebanon.

(a) Statement by Daoud Bey Mammon, President of the Great Administrative Council of Mt. Lebanon

In the fullness of its rights, the said Council has nominated the Delegation of which I am the President, and on behalf of which I am now speaking, to place before the Peace Conference, the claims of the nation of Lebanon.

Mount Lebanon has always been autonomous. Its autonomy has been maintained under Arabian, Turkish and Egyptian domination. At times it has even appeared as possessing a complete independence, which was recognised by Turkey itself.

Consequently [sic] to the incidents of 1860, Europe has sanctioned this autonomy and gave it, through the 1861-1864 treaty,' with her guarantee, a modality, a form which is special, but definite. One only bond of vassalage bound it to Turkey. Now, as a consequence of the fall of the Sublime Porte, Lebanon finds itself independent, with a National Government and an elected Parliament. Its wish is to recover, together with the recognition of its independence, its historical and natural frontiers which had been encroached upon by the Turks.

The territories within the said frontiers are necessary to our existence; without them, no commerce, no agriculture is possible for us and our populations remain under obligation to emigrate; the mere closing of our frontiers, through administrative measure would drive us, as has been during this war, to actual starvation.

Besides the great majority of the populations living on these territories also ask to be attached to Lebanon. Their wishes are to be found in petitions addressed to the French Government.

By giving them over to us, the Conference will perform a deed of justice and reparation, while according to the principle of the peoples' own wish.

In the course of this war, by the part it has taken in it, Lebanon has acquired claims on the goodwill of the Entente. The participation, however modest, has been none the less actual.

'British and Foreign State Papers, vol. LI, p. 287 and vol. 1, p. 1023.

From the very beginning of the war, the people of Lebanon have not feared, in spite of the worst reprisals which their isolation could bring on them, to take side resolutely for France and her Allies. They offered themselves by thousands to go and fight for a common ideal on the battlefield of Europe, but special circumstances and the assurance which was given them, that they would eventually [be] made use of on the spot, made it impossible for them to bring about their plan. Nevertheless, a certain number of them, joining their foreign brothers, went at once to enlist individually in the French Army, and later, in the American Army, distinct contingents, definite units were even constituted, which took part in the liberation of their country and have thus, still more officially, taken part in the war.

As for the sacrifices Lebanon made because of its having from the first taken side with the Entente, they are plain to everyone.

Over half its population was wiped out through exile, hanging and systematic famishing at the hands of the Turks. With due proportion, this country is among those which suffered most owing to the attitude it adopted and preserved until the end.

The Government of Mount Lebanon, enlightened by experience, its soil having been trampled on for over half a century through the numerous and consequently rival influences, and having realised the immense harm caused to the country and with a view to obtain a much desired union as well as preserve its dignity, intends to avoid in future the errors of the past.

Conscious of the inability of the country, especially at the start, to develop its resources unaided, deprived as it is of financial means, and technical advisors, the Government has sought the collaboration of a great power. One only could be thought of, France. Her liberal principles, her time honoured traditions, the benefits Lebanon never failed to receive from her in hard times, the civilisation she diffused throughout made her prominent in the eyes of all the inhabitants of Lebanon. Consequently the Administrative Council faithfully expressing public opinion, unanimously requested the collaboration of France.

In our opinion such a collaboration does not imply the least abandonment of our rights, the slightest abdication of our independency. The help thus given us will be that of a long experience, sparing us the mistakes which a newly-born community is unavoidably liable to make, giving us an umpire whose decisions will be accepted by the various groups in our country, and lastly safeguarding our independency from any possible attempt.

We must say a few words about our relations with Syria.

Between the two countries interests are closely connected. Syria requires our ports and mountains, we require her plains. Absolute separation would be detrimental to either. And yet Lebanon could

partake of the Syrian integrality, while retaining a distinct personality, only under the condition that Syria should profit by the same French collaboration. Lebanon would prefer the danger of its isolated position to the double peril of being drawn into the track of a country deprived of Government traditions and much less advanced in its evolution, or to be the possible sufferer in the quarrels that would unavoidably arise from a dual collaboration.

We ardently desire to strengthen the various ties which join us and our neighbours. This wish will be accomplished when the new Government of Syria gives satisfactory tokens of vitality, ability and tolerance. The only means to this end seems to reside in entrusting one Power only with this collaboration.["]

M. CLEMENCEAU then called on Negile Bey Abdel Malek to speak. NEGILE BEY ABDEL MALEK, then read the following statement: "As a Druse Delegate, I beg to be allowed to add a few words to the declaration which has just been made on behalf of the whole delegation, in order to render more precise the sentiments of my fellow believers.

(b) Statement by Druse Delegate

We ardently wish for our country to be independent under recognition of our rights and prerogatives. On the other hand we know the advice and experience of a friendly and unbiased power to be necessary to our evolution.

With the conviction that any Government based on theocratic principles, while putting us in danger of being absorbed in a majority of a sectarian nature, would be particularly detrimental to us, we ask that the necessary help should be given us by a power whose liberalism and spirit of tolerance would constitute a guarantee to us. Moreover we are anxious to see Lebanon partake of the Syrian integrality, while retaining a distinct personality, in order that the bonds should be tightened, which must of necessity bind her to Syria and that those of us who live there could come in close contact with their fellow believers. In order to achieve this result we are of the opinion that the collaboration of France, especially qualified to conciliate the various tendencies and interests non [now] existing side by side, must not be confined to Lebanon, but must extend to the whole of Syria. On this unity of collaboration it will depend that our national aspiration come to reality.["]

M. CLEMENCEAU next called on Abdel Halim Hajjar to address the Conference.

ABDEL HALIM HAJJAR, Mussulman Delegate, read the following statement:

"The claims that our delegation has been entrusted with defending before the Peace Conference in the name of the people of Lebanon have been clearly explained by our President.

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