'File 61/28 (D 85) Hejaz-Nejd Mission to Europe' [‎20r] (48/108)

V
THIS DOCOMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOYERNMENT
EASTERN (Arabia). j ' ;i __,May 13, 1932.
CONFIDENTIAL. A \V.' Diit. S ection 1.
» r - —
OOHFiijEViiAL jifcuOBOS.
[E 2404/1494/25] " No. i.
Record of Third Meeting with the Hejaz-Nejd Delegation, held at the Foreign r
Office on May 13, 1932, at 11-30 a.m.
Present.
Foreign Office. Heja\z-Nejd Delegation.
Sir L. Oliphant {in the Chair). The Hejazi Minister
Mr. G. W. Rendel Fuad Bey Hamza.
Mr. C. F. A. Warner.
SIR L. OLIPHANT said that he was now in a position to reply, one
by one, to the points raised 1 by Fuad Bey Hamza at the previous meeting; he hoped
that Fuad Bey would thereafter ask for any elucidation which he might desire.
I. He wished to confirm the assurance which he had given to the delegation
at the last meeting, that His Majesty's Government desired, as in the past, the
most cordial and friendly relations with the Hejazi Government.
II. As regards a loan by His Majesty's Government, it was quite out of the
question for them to meet the wishes of the Hejazi Government in the matter.
But arrangements had been made since the last meeting that Fuad Bey Hamza
should be received at the Bank of England, where he would be given explanations
as to the present financial situation in the city and could discuss the possibility
of a public loan or one by some reputable financial house. But in saying this he
did not desire to raise any false hopes. He had also spoken to the chairman of
the Imperial Bank of Persia, and the chief manager of the bank, Mr. Eldred,
would be happy to see Fuad Bey and to explain to him the preliminaries necessary
before the flotation of a loan. But as the present time was most unpropitious for
any financial ventures, Mr. Eldred would discuss the possibility of the Imperial
Bank of Persia acting as London correspondents of the Hejazi Government,
should this be desired. Sir L. Oliphant had also consulted a high official of the
Treasury, who had confirmed his conviction that there was little, if any, chance
of a loan for the Hejazi Government being entertained in the City at the present
time.
III. As regards the Haramein Wakfs, the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. had telegraphed to
the Government of India, with special reference to the bequest of Ali Surati, who
had died in Java, the case to which Fuad Bey Hamza had specifically referred.
The Colonial Office had also consulted the Government of Palestine about the
Palestine Wakfs, raised by Fuad Bey Hamza, but the reply which they had
received was not clear. These two points would be actively pursued, and an
answer made to the Hejazi Government as soon as possible.
IV. Dealing Avith Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan , Sir L. Oliphant said that, as he had already
told Fuad Bey Hamza, he personally thought that if agreements could be made
between the Hejaz iand Nejd and Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan similar to those made between the
Hejaz and Nejd and Iraq, it would make a vast difference in the relations between
the two countries; and while there were considerable difficulties in the way, a
further study of the matter would be pursued energetically.
V. As regards the question of relations between the Hejaz and Nejd and'
the Soviet Government, the opinion of His Majesty's Government was that the
views and tenets of the Soviet Government were presumably very different from
those of King Abdul Aziz. If, however. King Abdul Aziz thought fit, in spite
of this, to change his present policy towards the Soviet Government, it would, of
course, not be a matter upon which His Majesty's Government would be in a
position to feel aggrieved.
Fuad Bey Hamza ^aid that he wished, as regards point I, to express his
thanks for the assurances given by Flis Majesty's Government; he would
communicate them to King Abdul Aziz.
[462 n—1]