Chapter 103 The Iranian Question

Finding a way to get the Soviet Union to return Austria to the status quo ante could certainly be interpreted in the present climate as asking the Soviet Union to give in. On Iran, Britain’s argument was for the status quo, and as far as Turkey was concerned, it was for selling out. A win, a draw and a loss was all Britain now needed to achieve.

As before, it was the negotiations and backroom maneuvering that went on at the same time, and this time Allen Wilson and Foltseva changed places and traveled to the western occupation zone in the city of Greater Berlin, walking through the urban area controlled by the three occupations, and in the eyes of the pedestrians next to them, the two strolled as if they were a couple.

But in reality, Alan Wilson, representing the United Kingdom, and Foltseva, representing the Soviet Union, had just put down their hostility, and other ideas that were half-hearted, Alan Wilson both felt that there must be Soviet agents near the two people who were paying attention to them, and as for why there were no British agents? Good question, because Allen Wilson is British, can not speak ill of their own country.

Finding a restaurant that hadn’t been open long but had almost no local patrons, Allen Wilson, with a wave of petit-bourgeois smugness, invited Foltseva to lunch.

“I say, Ms. Foltseva, do you think I’m going to do something about the members of the Soviet delegation?” As if seeing Foltseva’s hesitation, Alan Wilson spoke up, “You and I have people watching our every move, although I don’t have the expertise to know where they are.”

“Then you still brought me to the occupied area in the west.” Foltseva muttered with a disgruntled look on her face, surely there would be no shortage of questions when she returned.

This Alan Wilson know very well, the Soviet Union side of the scrutiny is very strict, the reason why the West to the Soviet system of the country is skeptical, in essence, or that is a new society, people think about the problem are completely different.

As for the rhetoric of thinking that their own system is better than the other side and wanting to make the other side better, forget it, it’s an obvious lie.

If the USSR was really bad, the West wouldn’t have gone out of its way to hassle the USSR, when did the US ever hassle Africa? It’s all about praising the other side for being original.

As a multi-financial multi-billion British civil servants, Alan Wilson does not mind personal gains and losses, in order to achieve the country’s purpose can be achieved, out of their own pockets to sacrifice some of the also does not matter.

“I believe that in the past few days, the Soviet comrades were very happy that our new Prime Minister and Foreign Minister came to Potsdam.” Allen Wilson, who was holding a knife and fork, opened his mouth to inquire with good manners.

This etiquette was not that Alan Wilson was of noble birth, but that he had arrived in British India to learn it. The civil servants of British India seemed to have found the feeling of nobility of the British Empire in front of the Indians, and the red tape was even worse than that of the native nobility.

As for the Soviet comrades, this was not a slip of the tongue on Alan Wilson’s part, but rather the use of the term to name the inner thoughts of the Soviets.

“In opposition, the Labor Party might not have cared to be described as a pro-Soviet force. But as the ruling party, the angle of consideration changes, and I hope that the Soviet side will not misjudge this. Whether it is Mr. Churchill or Prime Minister Adderley, they both serve the British Empire.” Alan Wilson finished his opening statement in three words.

Pouring a glass of wine for Foltseva, Allen Wilson took the initiative to clink a glass with the big hairy girl and said, “Congratulations to the Soviet Red Army for making good progress in the Far East, and let’s drink a toast to the early end of the war. Maybe when the war is over, we won’t have this chance to celebrate.”

During the time of war, several countries were tolerant of nastiness between each other because there were other threats, once the war was over, a new round of confrontation would come right away, it was just a matter of when it would officially begin.

Even before the Iron Curtain speech, the United States and the Soviet Union were already looking at each other, just not on the table.

From a personal point of view Allen Wilson hoped that everything would go well for the Soviet Union to occupy Hokkaido, so that the United States and the Soviet Union would have one more point of contention to relieve the pressure on the European side.

This may be Allen Wilson and Foltseva as allies not much to celebrate, clink glasses, Allen Wilson then raised the new prime minister’s three issues, the Soviet Union must lift the occupation of the entire territory of Austria, before the end of the year, Britain, the United States, France and the three countries will be stationed in Austria, Britain and the Soviet Union must be immediately in Iran disarmament to reduce the size of the garrison.

The third point was the issue of the Dardanelles, of which Britain was most concerned about Iran, where during World War II the Soviet Union and Britain had entered the north and south of Iran, respectively, according to an agreement, which was the traditional sphere of influence of both sides.

Already during World War II, the Soviet Union had conducted oil exploration work in northeastern Iran, and these fields were connected to Soviet Azerbaijan in northwestern Iran and Soviet Turkmenistan in northeastern Iran, but an agreement had to be reached with Iranian officials in order to obtain the rights to exploit them.

“According to the previous agreement, our two countries have to withdraw from Iran by the end of the year. The withdrawal should be considered now.” Alan Wilson still volunteered the British conditions.

“And if we don’t want to?” Foltseva’s pale face flushed a little after taking a sip of wine, but didn’t let the alcohol confuse her mind.

“It would make Prime Minister Adderley suspicious of Soviet intentions.” Alan Wilson spoke meaningfully, “Without having to ask for anything, I can guess how things will develop next, the British Empire, along with the Pahlavi dynasty, will invite the American troops into Iran, and together they will put pressure on the Soviet Union. The final result could be three, together with the United States the three countries withdraw at the same time, and Iran becomes a neutral country. Secondly, the three countries will clash in Iran, and thirdly, the three countries will stay in Iran for a period of time to consume everyone’s energy, and finally they will withdraw at the same time. Regardless of which of the above three outcomes occurs, the ultimate beneficiary is the United States.”

“It seems that you are quite willing to give away your interests to the Americans.” Foltseva giggled, “When did Britain become so generous?”

“Blood is thicker than water, rationally of course we don’t want to cheapen the US, but if we had to choose between the US and the USSR, we would choose the US with our eyes closed.” Alan Wilson said with cold indignation, “There are still British and Soviet interests if the status quo is maintained, if the situation I described occurs, the Soviet Union and Britain will get nothing.”

“Withdrawal of troops for nothing? Mr. Allen may be joking, what will be taken as compensation?” Foltseva was silent for a few moments and began to counter, it was Britain that had taken the initiative to beg, there must be a quid pro quo.

Allen Wilson opened his mouth, very tempted to say no, but finally spoke, “On the issue of the right of passage through the Dardanelles, if the Soviet Union publicly guarantees to honor the previous agreement and withdraw its troops from Iran. Dardanelles right of passage, the British Empire is willing to help the Soviet Union fight for it.”