Coll 6/9 'Jeddah Reports Jany 1931–' [‎355v] (711/802)

International
Disarmamen t Confevence.
51. In consequence of a letter, dated the 14th September, from the Hejaz-
Nejd Minister in London to the League of Nations, the Council of the League
resolved to invite the “ Govei nment of the Hejaz " to the 1932 Disarmament
Conference. The Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs informed His Majesty s
Charge d’Affaires of the invitation with some gratification. He added that it
had not yet been decided whether to accept it or not. On being asked on what
grounds the Hejazi Government might decline, he confided how extremely difficult
it would be to render a true return of the armed forces of the Hejaz-Nejd and
the expenditure thereon. Every Amir, big and little, had an armed retinue of
some sort, and there was no such thing as a budget in the country. Moreover, his
French was weak, and the League had sent him masses of documents in French.
Treaties.
52. In October the Hejazi Government communicated to His Majesty’s
Legation a collection of treaties and agreements concluded to date by Nejd and
the Hejaz-Nejd with their neisrhbours and foreign Powers. A list of these
instruments is annexed.
V ranee.
53. The treaty negotiations still continued.
Italy.
54. The treaty negotiations were stayed. The Italian consul returned to
Jedda on the 11th October with instructions to take no further step forward so
long as there existed discord and the possibility of hostilities between Ibn Saud
and the Imam Yahya (see paragraphs 43 to 47).
The Neth erlands.
55. For lack of funds, the secretary-elect to the Hejaz-Nejd Legation at
The Flague has been unable to proceed to his post (July-August report,
paragraph 59). The failure of the Hejaz-Nejd negotiations for a Dutch loan and
its aftermath have been reported in paragraph 4.
Egypt.
56. The Egyptian consul, Hafiz Amer Bey, went on leave of absence on the
10th September. A place-man of Emin Yehia Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , the Alexandria shipowner
and brother of the Egyptian Minister for Foreign Affairs, he was expected to
spend his leave in trying to arrive, with their help, at some understanding between
the Egyptian and Hejazi Governments before the next pilgrimage.
Soviet Russia.
57. The Soviet Minister and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps at Jedda, Nezir
Bey Turakoulov, left on the 11th October for six months' leave of absence. His
Majesty’s Charge d'Affaires gained the impression that his eventual return would
depend upon such progress as might be made in the Soviet negotiations for the
entry of their goods into this country, where they are still more or less banned.
58. Comrade Horace Salkind arrived in Jedda on the 1st September, and
on the Minister's departure became Charge d'Affaires par interim.
59. The first consignment of Soviet benzine, contracted for by the Hejazi
Government in August, put in a tardy appearance on the 20th October (see
paragraph 14).
United States of A merica.
60. Mr. Crane's engineer, Mr. Twitched, arrived#for development work on
the 19th October (see paragraph 17).