IOR/L/PS/9/71/89

Report by Captain John Nicholl Robert Campbell of his mission to the Russian camp at the recently captured fortress of Abbasabad [‘Abbasabad], dated 14 October 1827 to 22 October 1827, during which he communicated the desire of the Persian Government to negotiate a peace agreement in the ongoing war between Persia [Iran] and Russia [Russo-Persian War, 1826-1828]. Campbell details his conferences with General D’Obreskoff [Aleksandr Mikhailovich Obreskov], who has been appointed by the Emperor of Russia as the ‘Chief Diplomatic Agent’ empowered to negotiate peace with Persia, and the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian forces, General Paskevitch [General Ivan Fyodorovich Paskevich-Erivansky, Governor-General of Georgia]. At these meetings the following matters were discussed:

• That the opportunity for the agreement of a more favourable peace for Persia had been lost following the fall of the fortresses Sirdarabad [Sardari Berd, or Sardar’s Fortress] and Abbasabad
• The determination of the Emperor of Russia to ‘avenge’ the invasion of Carabaugh [Karabakh] at the outset of the war, and other perceived slights by Persia to Russia
• The terms Russia will be willing to accept for peace, including territorial cessions north and south of the River Arras [Aras] and reparations for the expenses incurred during the war
• Russia’s willingness to continue to prosecute the war aggressively should Persia not promptly accede to the terms demanded.

The journal also details the arrival of the Governor of Tabreez [Tabriz], Fath Ally Khan [Fatḥ ‘Alī Khān Rashtī] at the camp at Abbasabad, and the negative reaction of the Russians to his arrival. Originally enclosed were copies of correspondence between Captain Campbell and General Paskevitch (now catalogued as IOR/L/PS/9/71/90).

This document was originally enclosed, numbered 5, in dispatch No. 73 of the East India Company Envoy to Persia, Lieutenant-Colonel John Macdonald Kinneir, to the Chief Secretary to the Government of India, George Swinton, of 1 November 1827 (IOR/L/PS/9/71/84).