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Coll 6/43 'Pan Arab Congress 1933. Attitude of H.M.G. to a Pan Arab Movement' [140r] (280/1144)
The record is made up of 1 file (570 folios). It was created in 21 Dec 1932-5 Mar 1948. It was written in English and French. The original is part of the British Library: 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. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
9
scheme. We should have to show in some way that we recognised
the Emir Abdullah’s loyal services to us for the past twenty years.
Any proposals, however, that the Emir Abdullah should become King
of the whole area would be strongly resisted by Ibn Saud.
For these three reasons, viz., French suspicions, the necessity for a solution
Sf the Palestine problem, and the Emir Abdullah s position, it is considere
essential to confine our proposals, at all events at first, to the economic sphere
(see Scheme V below).
Scheme IV. —A development of the Treaty of Arab Brotherhood and
Alliance
This Treaty, which provides for consultation and co-operation, was concluded
in 1936 between Iraq and Saudi Arabia. The Yemen acceded in 1937 ihe
suggestion now for consideration is whether this Treaty might be extended, an
its provisions reinforced, to provide the basis for Arab federation. lor example,
Syria and the Lebanon, now that they have acquired their independence, might
be encouraged to accede to the Treaty. Then, in due course, arrangements mig t
be made for representatives of the parties to the Treaty to meet from time to
time to discuss questions of joint interest, and put into effect the provisions
regarding consultation between the parties to the Treaty. In this way, regular
federal machinery might be gradually developed.
A dvantages.
There would be advantage in building upon the foundation of an existing
treaty, particularly on a treaty concluded between Arab rulers on their own
unprompted initiative.
Disadvantages.
It would be more difficult for His Majesty’s Government to exercise any
cmiding influence if federation were to take this form. It is cleai that, so long
as the ^British Mandate continues, Palestine could not adhere to a “ Treaty of
Arab Brotherhood ”; and its exclusion might tend to give the federation an
increased tendency to criticise and oppose British policy and Jewish aspirations
in Palestine. It is to be noted, however, that so far the existing “ brotherhood
has taken little or no effective action; and it is possible that increased membership
would not lead to greater activity. . ,
If Syria and the Lebanon should wish to adhere to the Treaty ot Arab
Brotherhood, there is no reason why His Majesty’s Government should not
encourage the movement.
B.— Economic Co-operation.
In general, the removal of economic barriers should be encouiaged, but L
would seem best to make a start with Syria, the Lebanon, Palestine and
Trans-Jordan.
Scheme V. —Economic Co-operation between Syria, the Lebanon, Palestine
and Trans-Jordan. . . .
The Minister of State has recommended that British representatives in the
Middle East should be instructed to draw up such a scheme. This suggestion
should certainly be approved. In the meanwhile, no attempt has been made in
London to work out detailed proposals.
A dvantages.
A purely economic (not political) scheme would seem to be in the general
interests of the four territories mentioned, and there seems no reason why the
Free French should necessarily object. It is to be hoped that the removal of
the economic barriers may reduce the unnecessary inconvenience arising from the
present artificial frontiers.
It should be noted, however, that measures of co-operation in the economic
sphere are likely to lead to a desire for measures of co-operation in the political
sphere, viz., a scheme started on these lines might develop on the lines of
Scheme III above.
About this item
- Content
This file concerns the British Government's response to the Pan-Arab movement during the 1930s and 1940s. Much of the correspondence refers to the prospect of an Arab federation, although the use of the word 'federation' is noted in some of the correspondence as being a mistranslation of the original Arabic expression, which would be more accurately represented by the words 'unification' or 'unity'.
Significant subjects of discussion include:
- Arab party politics in Palestine.
- Iraqi-Egyptian relations.
- Italian propaganda in the Middle East.
- The future of Palestine.
- Britain's post-war policy in the Middle East.
- Whether the Arab states should be induced to make a wartime declaration in favour of the democracies (i.e. the Allies).
- The formation of the Arab League (also referred to as the Arab Federation in the correspondence).
- Details of the Pact (also referred to as Covenant) of the Arab League, signed in Cairo on 22 March 1945.
- Whether representatives of the Arab League should be present at the Palestine Conference in London, in 1947, in addition to representatives of Arab states.
Notable correspondents include the following: the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ; the High Commissioner for Iraq; His Majesty's Ambassador in Baghdad; the High Commissioner for Egypt; His Majesty's Ambassador in Cairo; the High Commissioner for Palestine; His Majesty's Minister at Jedda; the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; the Minister of State in the Middle East; officials of the Foreign Office, the Colonial Office, 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. , the Commonwealth Relations Office, and the Indian Political Service The branch of the British Government of India with responsibility for managing political relations between British-ruled India and its surrounding states, and by extension the Gulf, during the period 1937-47. 's External Affairs Department; Noury Said [Nūrī al-Sa‘īd], Prime Minister of Iraq; George Antonius, Lebanese-Egyptian author and diplomat.
Also included with the correspondence are the following:
- Extracts from Palestine police summaries dating from 1933 to 1936, produced by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Jerusalem.
- A printed copy of a paper on Arab federation by the Foreign Research and Press Service, dated 20 June 1941.
- Copies of documents produced by the War Cabinet's Standing Official Sub-Committee for Questions Concerning the Middle East (also referred to as the Middle East (Official) Committee), including minutes of meetings (1941-1942) and a copy of a report on Arab Federation, dated January 1942.
- A copy (in French) of the Protocol of the Preparatory Committee for the Arab Congress, dated 7 October 1944.
- Copies of the Pact/Covenant of the recently formed Arab League (consisting of a printed copy in French, distributed by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and an English translation of the full Arabic text, which includes a passage that was omitted from the French version).
The French material consists of the aforementioned Protocol and Arab League Pact, plus one item of correspondence and a copy of a newspaper extract.
The file includes two dividers which give a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. These are placed at the back of the correspondence (folios 2-3).
- Extent and format
- 1 file (570 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence for this description commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 571; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. Two previous foliation sequences, which are also circled, have been superseded and therefore crossed out.
- Written in
- English and French in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Coll 6/43 'Pan Arab Congress 1933. Attitude of H.M.G. to a Pan Arab Movement' [140r] (280/1144), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2110, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100047229910.0x000053> [accessed 17 July 2026]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/2110
- Title
- Coll 6/43 'Pan Arab Congress 1933. Attitude of H.M.G. to a Pan Arab Movement'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:6v, 9r:24v, 27r:59v, 61r:62v, 73r:78v, 82r:93v, 95r:103v, 105r:106v, 111r:111v, 113r:115v, 118r:120v, 122r:132v, 134r:152v, 158r:199v, 201r:265v, 273r:354v, 356r:381v, 384r:394v, 398r:407v, 410r:516v, 518r:565v, 567r:571v, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence