Coll 6/19 'Arabia: (Saudi Arabia) Hejaz-Nejd Annual Report.' [‎21v] (43/540)

14
50. The Amir Saud, who went to England in the summer for dental treat
ment, was received by the Secretary of State for foreign Affairs and also by the
Secretary of State for the Colonies, and explained his father s views to them At
that time, however, His Majesty’s Government were awaiting the report of the
Technical Commission on Palestine, and it was not possible to give a delimte reply ^
to His Royal Highness.
51. The report of the Technical Commission on Palestine reached Jedda
on the 26th October. The commission recommended by a majority a modified
form of partition, which they called economic federalism. It seemed to them that
although the scheme would withhold fiscal autonomy from the Jewish and Arab
States, it would, subject to certain reservations, form a satisfactory basis for
settlement, provided that His Majesty’s Government were prepared to accept the
very considerable financial liability involved.
52. His Majesty’s Government decided to issue the report and a statement
of policy at 4 p.m. G.M.T. on the 9th November, and they authorised His Majesty’s
Minister to communicate these two documents to Ibn Saud twenty-four hours in
advance. Sir R. Bullard was also authorised to ask Ibn Saud whether he would
receive him at Riyadh for the purpose, or would prefer to have the information
sent to him by post and telegraph. The King gave Sir R. Bullard a cordial
invitation to Riyadh.
53. The statement of policy began by recapitulating the attitude which His
Majesty’s Government had adopted towards the Peel Report and giving a brief
summary of the findings of the Technical Commission. It then announced that
His Majesty’s Government had reached the conclusion that the political,
administrative and financial difficulties involved in the proposal to create
independent Arab and Jewish States inside Palestine were so great that the solu
tion of the problem by partitioning the country was impracticable. His Majesty’s
Government would therefore continue their responsibility for the government of
the whole of Palestine. They believed, however, that an alternative means of
discharging their obligations to the Arabs and the Jews could be found. It was
clear to them that the surest foundation for peace and progress in Palestine
would be an understanding between Arabs and Jews, and they were resolved to
make a determined effort to promote such an understanding. "With that end in
view they proposed to issue an invitation immediately to representatives of the
Palestine Arabs and of neighbouring States on the one hand, and of the Jewish
Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. on the other, to confer with them as soon as possible in London regarding
future policy. As to the representatives of the Palestine Arabs, His Majesty’s
Government must reserve the right to refuse to receive those leaders whom they
might regard as responsible for the campaign of assassination and violence. They
hoped that the discussions in London might help to promote agreement as to the
future policy regarding Palestine. They, however, regarded it as important
that an early decision should be reached, and if the London discussions should
not produce an agreement within a reasonable period they would take their own
decision in the light of their examination of the problem and of the discussions
in London. In considering and settling their policy they would keep in mind the
international character of the mandate and their obligations in that respect.
54. The provisional draft of this statement of policy had been in the hands
of His Majesty s representatives at Jedda, Cairo and Bagdad for some days
before the date of publication, and His Majesty’s Government sent them their
observations on the comments which had been received from those posts, in order
that they might themselves understand the policy of His Majesty’s Government
and defend it actively in discussions with the Governments to which they were
accredited. These observations were as follows :— J
(1) Acceptance by the Saudi Government or any other Government to the
London discussions would, of course, be without prejudice to their
views regarding the Balfour Declaration or regarding anv other
aspect of the Palestine problem. * n 7 G
(2) The Jewish Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. would be invited to send representatives as
obviously the appropriate organisation under article 15 of the
mandate for the representation of Jewish interests in Palestine. The