Rise of Australia

Chapter 413 Land Swap
On the night of August 8, Australasian Foreign Minister Daze brought several of his men to knock on the room of British Foreign Secretary Gray, and personally delivered a gift that had been prepared.

"It's Minister Dai Ze, please come in. I don't know what is the purpose of Minister Dai Ze's late-night visit. I'm getting ready to rest and recharge my batteries for tomorrow's peace talks." Minister Gray accepted the gift with a smile on his face, and invited Minister Dai Ze and his subordinates to enter.

"Minister Gray, to tell you the truth, I did come here with a mission. Today's peace talks have reached a stalemate, which is not good news for us. If possible, I hope that both of us can resolve the territorial dispute as soon as possible, bring peace to the Middle East as soon as possible, and at the same time deploy more troops to the eastern and western fronts to end this war." Minister Dai Ze took over with a smile on his face.
"Of course, Minister Daze. Australasia and the United Kingdom have the same origin. We are unbreakable allies and blood relatives. But you also know that the British army has suffered a lot of casualties in the Middle East war. There is nothing wrong with our reasonable claim to the Iraq region." Minister Gray nodded, but there was no retreat in his words.

"Of course, Minister Gray. But you also know that in the war against the Ottoman Empire, the Australasian army contributed most of it. Including the defeat of Bulgaria, the siege and defense of Constantinople, the landing on the Asia Minor Peninsula, 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 seek peace. Therefore, I don't think it is a problem for us to claim the Persian Gulf coast of Saudi Arabia and Iraq. If your country is willing, we can make up for it in other places." The minister also nodded, and did not refute the fact that the British Empire had contributed to what Minister Gray said, but he also pointed out the fact that Australasia's contribution was far greater than that of the British Empire.

"This is also what I want to say, Minister Daze. If your country is willing, the British Empire can exchange other lands for Iraq, and recognize Australasia's occupation of Saudi Arabia's Persian Gulf coast." Minister Gray smiled, but his tone was very firm.

The Iraq 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 can control Iraq, it is equivalent to controlling most of the Middle East.Coupled with Yemen, the colonies of Oman, and the British land will be connected in the Middle East, and it will also be able to consolidate its rule over India.

The status of Iraq in the Middle East is somewhat special. The Mesopotamian Plain is a rare grain-producing area in the Middle East and has a small population in the Middle East.

The value of occupying Iraq is much higher than that of Yemen, Oman, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

Coupled with Iraq's geographical location, not only can it control the Ottoman Empire in the northwest, but it can also guard against the Tsarist Empire in the north of Iraq, which is beneficial to the British Empire and has no harm.

With such an important geographical location and economic value, it is naturally impossible for Minister Gray to let such an important area fall into the hands of Australasia, even if Australasia is an ally of the United Kingdom.

However, Minister Gray's proposal is exactly what Minister Daze wants.While it is true that Iraq's economic value is much higher, it does more harm than good for Australasia.

Such a colony with a large indigenous population is not only very troublesome to manage, but also easily feared and coveted by the great powers.

The small colonies along the coast of the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Peninsula in Saudi Arabia, although the land area is also not small, have a small population, and most of them are deserts, with lower development potential and economic value, which will not cause dissatisfaction among other powers.

"Since this is the case, Minister Gray, we don't want to damage the good relationship 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 and other regions, we are willing to give up the request for Iraq and support your country to monopolize Iraq." Minister Dai Ze took advantage of the situation and put forward his request, and expanded the request a little.

There is no difference between negotiation and business negotiation between countries, and it is very common for diplomatic departments to bargain with each other.

Therefore, Minister Daze directly opened his mouth, asking for most of Britain's colonies in the Arabian Peninsula, and waited for the British to slowly bargain until they reached a range acceptable to both Australasia and the United Kingdom.

"Oh, my God. Minister Daze, your country's request is completely impossible. If so many colonies are exchanged for an Iraq, it will cause a devastating blow to the rule of the British Empire in the Arabian Peninsula." Sure enough, Minister Gray immediately pretended to be surprised, and said to Minister Daze in disbelief.

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

"Minister Gray, the conditions you put forward are also unrealistic. Just exchanging small Bahrain and Qatar for the extensive Mesopotamian Plains will also cause heavy losses to Australasia." Minister Daze responded to Minister Gray with the same words, and put forward his own conditions: "Minister Gray, Bahrain and Qatar, plus Kuwait or the truce states, we are willing to give up the entire Mesopotamian Plains and immediately hand them over to your country for management."

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

This also means that the British Empire exchanged only Bahrain and Qatar for the entire Mesopotamian Plain. Such an exchange is completely unequal.

Minister Daze's request is indeed not high. Whether it is Kuwait or the truce states, the area and development value are far lower than the Mesopotamia Plain.

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

Now it depends on whether the entire Mesopotamian plain has Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait or the truce states in the eyes of Minister Gray and the British government.

After Minister Gray heard the conditions given by Minister Daze, he did not rush to agree or refuse, but looked at Minister Daze, thinking carefully.

Seeing that Minister Gray has been shaken, Minister Daze 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 and have no interest in European territories. If your country is willing, we can form a closer ally so that the Anglo-Australian alliance can be maintained until after the war. Australasia is willing to support any action of the British Empire in Europe in exchange for Kuwait or the truce states."

Although the war united the four major powers of the Allied Powers and Italy, it does not mean that the five great powers of the Allied Powers are inseparable.

The first is Italy, which performed poorly in the war. Italy is not at the core decision-making level of the Allied Powers. Italy's status is naturally different from that of the four major powers of the Allied Powers.

After all, it is a country that betrayed the Allies halfway and joined the Allied Powers. Although other countries will not say anything, countries still reject such sloppy behavior morally.

The relationship between the four major powers of the Allied Powers is very complicated.The Entente can be split into the Anglo-French Entente, the French-Russian Entente, the Anglo-Russian Entente, the Anglo-Australian Entente, and the Russian-Australian Entente.

France has good relations with Russia, Russia has good relations with France and Australasia, Australasia has good relations with Great Britain and Russia, and Great Britain has good relations with Australasia and France.

It's not over yet.Although the relationship between Britain and France is relatively good, the British are guarding against France and Russia.

In this way, the only ally that Britain can trust and rely on after the war is 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 will definitely expand a lot in their homeland and colonies, and Britain is the last thing to see these two countries become stronger.

If France and Russia are united, Britain alone will be powerless, and the support of Australasia will be more important, and Australasia can be used to divide the French-Russian agreement.

Hearing the hint in Minister Daze's words, Minister Gray nodded and said with a smile: "Of course, Minister Daze. Australasia is the closest ally of the British Empire and the most important partner of the entire British government. Our relationship should be closer. Compared with our relationship, a Kuwait is not that important."

Yes, Secretary Gray made a quick decision, add Kuwait, exchange Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain for the whole of Mesopotamia.

As for why it is not the truce states (UAE), it can actually be seen from the map.

Although Kuwait is also close to the Mesopotamian plains, Kuwait has a smaller land area and its population is far less than that of Iraq.

More importantly, compared with Kuwait, the truce states are located at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, and the British Empire already controls the mouth of the Persian Gulf.

Under such circumstances, a small Kuwait is naturally not as important as the truce states.

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

As for the Kuwait area, the British Empire only signed an agreement with the Emirate of Kuwait more than ten years ago, turning Kuwait into a protectorate.

Although the loss of Kuwait will make the coastal areas of the Mesopotamian Plains narrower.

But as long as you can control the outlet of the Persian Gulf, it is equivalent to controlling the entire Persian Gulf coast, and Kuwait will not seem so important.

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(End of this chapter)