'File 61/28 (D 85) Hejaz-Nejd Mission to Europe' [‎41r] (90/108)

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THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOYERNMHNT
EASTERN (Arabia).
CONFIDENTIAL.
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No. 1.
July 1, 1932.
Section 1.
(No.
Sir,
207.)
Sir G. Clerk to Sir John Simon.—{Received July 1.)
Constantinople, June 21, 1932.
I HAVE the honour to report that on the 8th June His Highness the
Emir Eeisal, son of the King of Hejaz-Nejd, arrived in Constantinople by Soviet
steamer from Odessa. He was accompanied to Turkey by M. Elorinski, Soviet
Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps, and both on his arrival and during his stay in
Turkey has been the object of assiduous attentions on the part of members of the
Soviet Embassy.
2. After a short stay in Constantinople, the Emir, with his suite, among
whom were Euad Hamza Bey, deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Halid
Eyubi Bey, aide-de-camp, left for Angora in a special saloon coach placed at
their disposal by the Turkish Government, and was the guest of the Government
from the 12th to the 15th June, afterwards returning to Constantinople, where he
is to spend a few days before leaving for Tehran via the Caucasus, and thence
for Bagdad.
3. While at Angora the Emir was received by the President of the Republic,
who gave a dinner in his honour at his new residence at Cankaya, and was the
guest at banquets or receptions given by Ismet Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , Tevfik Rii^tii Bey, Kazim
Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , President of the Grand National Assembly, and Hikmet Bey, secretary-
general of the Gazi. In deference to the opinions of the Emir, no alcoholic
refreshments were served at these gatherings. In his turn, the Emir gave a
dinner to the President of the Republic and leading Turks. Before leaving
Angora the Emir had an amicable conversation at the Iraq Legation with His
Highness the Emir Zeid, Minister of Iraq and brother to the King of that country.
4. In the course of the dinner given at Cankaya by the President of the
Republic, speeches were exchanged which, while on conventional lines, were
marked with slightly more restraint on the Wahabi than on the Turkish side.
The Gazi expressed his pleasure at the efforts which were being made to set the
Hejaz and Nejd on the way of progress, and his best wishes for the future of
those countries under the strong administration of King Abdulaziz, while the
Emir confined himself to acknowledging with thanks the Gazi's wishes and
reciprocating them. The official communique issued on the conclusion of the visit
referred to cordial and sincere conversations, harmony of views, feelings of mutual
confidence, and the influence of that visit on the consolidation of peace in the
Near East.
5. The time between banquets was devoted to inspections of banking and
military establishments. In this latter connexion it is noticeable that the visit
of the Emir to Turkey is distinguished from that of other important personages
by the exhibition to him of part of Turkey's military resources, and by the rather
unusual participation, in his reception and in his send-off, of high military
authorities. The Emir was shown over military factories and barracks, under
the guidance of Ali Sait Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , Army Inspector; he assisted at tactical exercises,
was present at a display of military horsemanship, and witnessed an aerial review
in which some twenty-five military aeroplanes from Eski^ehir took part. One of
these flew into an obstacle when starting and the pilot was killed. The others
indulged in formation flying, which to a lay observer seemed rather ragged, but
the diving and other acrobatic feats seemed temerarious but successful.
6. Press comment on the visit is curiously unanimous in insisting that
Turkey's interest in Hejaz and Nejd arises out of pleasure at their having won
complete independence, and in declaring that it is, and always has been, Turkey's
desire that Moslem States detached from the Ottoman Empire should have
complete independence. For this reason she has always disliked the term
"mandate," which signifies subjection. She had only consented to cede the
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