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0108 India and Tibet : vol.1
インドとチベット : vol.1
India and Tibet : vol.1 / 108 ページ(白黒高解像度画像)

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doi: 10.20676/00000295
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82   NEGOTIATIONS WITH RUSSIA

Some delay occurred in getting a reply from the

Russian Government, but on April 8, 1903, the Russian

Ambassador informed Lord Lansdowne* that he could

assure him . officially that there was no convention about

Tibet, either with Tibet itself, or with China, or with any-

one else ; nor had the Russian Government any agents in

that country, or any intention of sending any agents or

missions there. But, although the Russian Government

had no designs whatever about 'Tibet, they could not

remain indifferent to any serious disturbance of the status

quo in that country. Such a disturbance might render it

necessary for them to safeguard their interests in Asia ;

not that even in that case they would desire to interfere

in the affairs of Tibet, as their policy ` ne viserait le

Tibet en aucun cas,' but they might be obliged to take

measures elsewhere. They regarded Tibet as forming

part of the Chinese Empire, in the integrity of which they

took an interest."

Count Benckendorff went on to say that he hoped that

there was no question of any action on our part in regard

to 'Tibet which might have the effect of raising questions

of this kind, and Lord Lansdowne told him that we had

no idea of annexing the country, but he was well aware

that it immediately adjoined our frontier, that we had

treaties with the Tibetans, and a right to trade facilities.

If these were denied us, and if the 'Tibetans did not fulfil

their treaty obligations, it would be absolutely necessary

that we should insist upon our rights. In cases of this

kind, where an uncivilized country adjoined the posses-

sions of a civilized Power, it was inevitable that the

latter should exercise a certain amount of local pre-

dominance. Such a predominance belonged to us in

Tibet. But it did not follow from this that we had any

designs upon the independence of the country.

With these very definite assurances from Russia, it

might well be asked why we should still have desired to

take pronounced measures in Tibet. Anxiety in regard

to Russian action in 'Tibet was the main reason why the

Government of India sought to take action in Tibet.

* Blue-book, p. 187.