On the night of August 11, Australasian Foreign Secretary Dazzle and several of his men knocked on the room of British Foreign Secretary Grey and handed him a gift that had already been prepared.

"It's Minister Daze, please come in. I don't know what Minister Daizer is doing when he visits late at night, but I am preparing to rest and recharge my energy for tomorrow's peace talks. Minister Gray accepted the gift with a smile on his face, and invited Minister Dazzle and his men to enter.

"Minister Gray, to tell you the truth, I did come with a mission. Today's peace talks are deadlocked, which is not good news for us. If possible, I hope that the two sides will resolve the territorial dispute as soon as possible, bring peace to the Middle East at an early date, and at the same time deploy more troops to the Eastern and Western fronts to end this war. Minister Dai Ze took it with a smile on his face

"Of course, Minister Daze. Australasia and the United Kingdom are of the same origin, and we are unbreakable allies and blood relatives. But as you know, the British army has suffered a lot of casualties in the war in the Middle East, and there is nothing wrong with us making a reasonable claim to the Iraqi region. Minister Gray nodded, but there was not the slightest hint of backing in his words.

"Of course, Minister Gray. But you also know that in the war against the Ottoman Empire, the Australasian army contributed the lion's share. Including the defeat of Bulgaria, the offensive and defensive battles of Constantinople, the landing on the peninsula of Asia Minor, the landing on the Arabian peninsula, etc. It was our occupation of the most important grain-producing areas of the Ottoman Empire that made the Ottoman Empire determined to sue for peace. Therefore, I don't think it's a problem for us to claim the Persian Gulf coast in the Saudi region, as well as the Iraqi region, and we can make up and compensate elsewhere if your country wants to. Minister Daizer also nodded, not refuting the fact that Minister Gray had contributed to the British Empire, but also bringing up the fact that Australasia had contributed far more than the British Empire.

"That's what I'm going to say as well, Minister Daze. If your country so wishes, the British Empire may exchange other lands for Iraq and recognize Australasia's occupation of the Saudi Persian Gulf coast. Minister Gray smiled, but his tone was firm.

The Iraqi region is located in the center of the entire Middle East, with British-occupied Egypt to the west and British-occupied Afghanistan and India to the east.

If Britain could control Iraq, it would also control most of the Middle East. In addition to the colonies of Yemen and Oman, the British lands will be united in the Middle East, and will also consolidate their rule over India.

Iraq's position in the Middle East is somewhat special, and the Mesopotamian plain is one of the few grain-producing regions in the Middle East, and has one of the few populations in the Middle East.

The value of the occupation of Iraq is much higher than that of Yemen, Oman, Kuwait and the Saudi coast.

Coupled with the geographical location of Iraq, it can not only control the Ottoman Empire in the northwest, but also guard against the Tsarist Russian Empire in the north of Iraq, which will be beneficial to the British Empire.

With such an important geographical location and economic value, it was natural that Minister Gray could not have allowed such an important area to fall into the hands of Australasia, even if Australasia was an ally of the United Kingdom.

However, Minister Gray's proposal was exactly what Minister Daizer wanted. While it is true that Iraq's economic value is much higher, the disadvantages outweigh the benefits for Australasia.

Such a colony, with a large indigenous population, was not only very troublesome to manage, but also vulnerable to the jealousy and covetousness of the great powers.

And some small colonies on the Persian Gulf coast and the Arabian Peninsula in Saudi Arabia, although the land area is also not small, but the population is small, and most of them are deserts, and the development potential and economic value are even lower, which will not cause dissatisfaction among other powers.

"That being the case, Minister Gray, we do not want to spoil good relations with the British Empire. If the British Empire is willing to transfer, Muscat and the Sultanate of Oman, as well as the truce states and Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, etc., we are willing to renounce our claims to Iraq and support your country's monopoly on Iraq. Minister Daiser took advantage of the situation and expanded it a little.

There is no difference between negotiations and business negotiations between countries, and it is not uncommon for diplomatic departments to bargain with each other.

Therefore, Minister Daizer directly opened his mouth and demanded most of the British colonies in the Arabian Peninsula, waiting for the British to slowly bargain and cut to a range acceptable to both Australasia and Britain.

"Oh my God. Minister Daizer, your country's request is completely impossible. If so many colonies were to be exchanged for one Iraq, it would be a devastating blow to the British Empire's rule in the Arabian Peninsula. Sure enough, Minister Gray immediately pretended to be taken aback, and said to Minister Dazzle in disbelief.

"If your country wishes, we can exchange Qatar and Bahrain for Iraq, and support your country's occupation of the Rashid coastal area." Minister Gray continued.

"Minister Gray, your conditions are equally unrealistic. Trading tiny Bahrain and Qatar for the vast plains of Mesopotamia would also cost Australasia dearly. Minister Daizer replied to Minister Gray in the same vein, and made his own conditions: "Minister Gray, the regions of Bahrain and Qatar, plus Kuwait or the truce states, we are willing to give up the whole plain of Mesopotamia and put it under your administration at once." ”

You must know that all of Saudi Arabia's Persian Gulf coast was attacked by the Australasian army itself.

This also means that the British Empire only used Bahrain and Qatar in exchange for the entire Mesopotamian plain, and such an exchange is completely unequal.

It is true that Minister Daizer's request is not high, and neither Kuwait nor the truce states are far less large in size and development value than in the Mesopotamian plain.

Moreover, the entire Mesopotamian plain has been occupied by Australasia, and the British only need to hand over it, and it is a big advantage for the British to occupy this plain without spending a single soldier.

Now it is up to Minister Gray and the British government to see if the whole of the Mesopotamian plain has Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait, or the truce states combined.

After hearing the conditions given by Minister Daze, Minister Gray did not rush to agree or refuse, but looked at Minister Daizer and pondered carefully.

Seeing that Minister Gray had wavered, Minister Daizer continued: "Minister Gray, Australasia is a natural ally of the British Empire, and a blood relative of the British Empire. We are too far away from Europe to have any interest in the territory of Europe. If your country wishes, we can form closer allies and keep the Anglo-Australian alliance in place until after the war. Australasia was willing to support any action of the British Empire in Europe in exchange for Kuwait or a truce. ”

Although the war united the four Allied powers with Italy, this did not mean that the five Allied powers were inseparable.

First of all, Italy, which had performed badly in the war, was not at the core decision-making level of the Entente, and its status was naturally different from that of the four major Entente powers.

After all, it is a country that betrays the Central Powers to join the Entente in the middle of the way, although other countries will not say anything, and for such a wall-to-wall behavior, all countries still morally reject it.

The relationship between the four major powers of the Entente was very complicated. The Entente can be divided into, Anglo-French Entente, Franco-Russian Entente, Anglo-Russian Entente, Anglo-Australian Entente, and Russian-Australian Entente.

France has better relations with Russia, Russia has better relations with France and Australasia, Australasia has better relations with Britain and Russia, Britain has better relations with Australasia and France.

And that's not all. Although relations between Britain and France were relatively good, the British were on guard against France and Russia.

As a result, the only ally that Britain could trust and rely on after the war was Australasia.

Because of Australia's unique geographical location, Australasia is the only country that will not cause direct conflict with Britain, France and Russia.

After the war, France and Russia would certainly have expanded heavily in their homeland and colonies, and Britain was the last to see these two countries become stronger.

If France and Russia were united, Britain alone would not be able to do anything, and Australasia's support would be more important, and Australasia could be used to divide the Franco-Russian Entente.

Hearing the hint in Minister Daze's words, Minister Gray nodded and said with a smile, "Of course, Minister Daze. Australasia was the closest ally of the British Empire and the most valued partner of the entire British government. Our relationship should be closer, and a Kuwait is less important than our relationship. ”

Yes, Minister Gray made a quick decision, plus Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain, in exchange for the entire plain of Mesopotamia.

As for why it is not a truce state (UAE), in fact, it can be seen from the map.

Although Kuwait is also close to the plains of Mesopotamia, Kuwait has a small land area and is far less populated than Iraq.

What's more, compared to Kuwait, the truce states were located at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, and the British Empire already controlled the mouth of the Persian Gulf.

Under such circumstances, a small Kuwait is naturally less important than the truce states.

What's more, the rule of the British Empire in the truce states began even nearly a hundred years ago.

In Kuwait, the British Empire only signed an agreement with the Emirate of Kuwait more than a decade ago, turning Kuwait into a protectorate.

Although the loss of Kuwait will make the coastal area of the Mesopotamian plain even smaller.

But as long as you can master the access to the Persian Gulf, it is equivalent to mastering the entire Persian Gulf coast, and Kuwait is not so important.

3000 words for the first update, ask for a monthly pass, ask for support!

(End of chapter)