مجموعة ٢١/٦(١) "الحجاز-نجد: العلاقات مع الحكومة البريطانية: مفوضية الحجاز في لندن والوزير البريطاني في جدة". [ظ‎‎١‎٤‎١] (٩١٤/٢٩٣)

Saudi territory, and the present difference over Hazim, which'the Transjordan
authorities considered as indisputably in Transjordan.
Mr. Rendel put forward personally and unofficially a tentative suggestion
that some of these points might be disposed of by some kind of local technical
frontier commission. He explained, however, that this suggestion was naturally
subject to the views of the Transjordan authorities, and that it might be found to
be open to unexpected difficulties.
Fuad Bey received this suggestion with partial assent. He agreed that a
. clarification of the position in regard to the Transjordan-Nejd frontier— e.q. by
the appointment of a frontier or delimitation commission—might well be "dealt
with m the proposed general negotiations. On the other hand, if the question of
tne future of Aqaba and Maan were to be left in abeyance, his Government would
iiave difficulty in touching in any way whatsoever the subject of the frontier
between Transjordan and the Hejaz.
Mr. Rendel agreed that King Ibn Baud was free to maintain the position
which he had taken up in 1927 on this subject, and thought that His Majesty’s
Government would, in these circumstances, probably be content to continue on
tne present basis, and not to press for any more formal recognition of the existing
frontier. It would, however, be necessary to consult the various departments of
Iis Majesty s Government concerned and the local authorities before saying any
thing more definite. Meanwhile, two points appeared to have emerged from the
present discussion : (1) King Ibn Baud was not yet prepared to crystallise the
present de facto frontier between Transjordan and the Hejaz; (2) there might be
certain advantages in including in the proposed negotiations for a general settle
ment some arrangement for the clarification of any points connected with the
ransjordan Aejd frontier, regarding which there was any local uncertainty^ 1 )
I he next subject which came up for discussion was the Hejaz Railway.
whiJAf hUa enq “ r ® d G yews of His Majesty’s Government on the proposal
eh he had made to Sir A. Ryan at Jedda for the calling of a technical
conference to discuss the reconditioning of the railway.
cbiectiorM-o that at si g ht Hls Misty's Government had no
consult the Freht, 7 pro P osa ! G G* had ’ of course ’ been necessary to
Tran • G/ f G G®™ mG ^ that lt was sti11 necessary to consult the
ansjoidan authorities. there seemed likely to be no difficultv so far a*
view^ofGfTrnGG Were c ° ncelJled ’. and although, pending the receipt of the
mews of the Transjordan authorities, it was still impossible for His Majesty’*
Gat “oflAGan d i n d state T nt 011 tMs P°G, it did not JtXlly
Government! W h 7 objectlon to the P rese nt limited proposals of the Saudi
It should be clearly understood, however, that His Maiestv’s Government
could not depart from the attitude they had always takGup h t Gs
that such wider issues as that of the ownership of the raOwav could not he
agreed ^twin fh d f cussl01 i' The proposed conference could, therefore only be
tnd practical points^ Understandm S that 14 sh °nld confine itself to techmcal
Mr. Rendel referred ^are^ in faof 1 ^ u , ne ^ rCai . ntles regarding the Transjordan frontiers to wide
originally plotted As a result ’ o/thk ^ inaccura ^ of the ma P s on which those frontiers wer
doubt, to an extent ^ T ^ where the fronti - s are F
grounds for maintaining their own interpretation"of^th?4 (jin ern , m “t appear to have good legs
cleared up with the Saudi Government 1 TW r f ontiie J’ but tlle matter has never beei
to leave the door open for a settlement of thfs^ , m eeting were intende
importance, as part of any general seftlement tW ITlG’ whi< f “ becommg one of som
from the first that it was likelv to nmvp imnr -G reac b e d- It had been recognise*
de facto frontier between Transjordan and thTlIeW obt ? m a more formal recognition of th
de facto frontier might be a ,Sv deHclh the Hejaz, and that any attempt to redefine thi
eastern part of the frontier (which is one of th'* ^ • ° n - A * 1a nd, the alignment of th.
on the true position of the southern terminal 'rd' m 'V' ln ^oobfl depends to a great exten
which it would be one of Ihe ohiecie Of f T 0f % GA,® bet "' een TransjordaS and Nejd
■establish. The delimitation of the Transiordan NeidT 8 ' 10 /'' an T e d Delimitation Commission t.
His Majesty's Government also T ” i m u fT mi « ht th « s m effect suffice to enabh
Transjordan-Hejaz Xrcfo line ‘ * 0OTr “ tness °f ‘heir interpretation of th,