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Coll 6/43 'Pan Arab Congress 1933. Attitude of H.M.G. to a Pan Arab Movement' [157r] (314/1144)
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.
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In Iraq, whose population in 1918 was more backward politically and
educationally than that of Syria and Palestine, it has been shown that an
independent native State can function with the minimum of advice and support
from its ally.
In Saudi Arabia, His Majesty Ibn Saud has shown that an Arab ruler can
maintain peace and order over nomad Bedouin occupying vast stretches of desert
and over settled Arabs in towns and oasis and considerably develop their resources.
''The discovery of oil in Arab countries has given them economic resources and
revenue not hitherto available. Iraq needs an outlet to the Mediterranean for
its oil and other r products. Palestine, which is being rapidly industrialised,
needs markets for its products and oil fuel for its factories.
These are facts which have to be taken into account and which justify a
re-exa^nination of the pledges given by His Majesty’s Government, some of which
were embodied in the mandates of the League of Nations. These present factors
call for a new policy altogether, which will settle permanently the future of the
inhabitants of the Near and Middle East.
My proposals which follow are based on the close relations which already
exist between Iraq and all the Arabs of historic Syria. The States of the Arabian
peninsula, although so near to us in language, custom and religion, have a different
economy. Egypt has a larger population than the Succession States and has her
own problems in the Sudan and elsewhere.
I have therefore assumed that these States will not at first be inclined to join
an Arab Federation or League, though, if such a union succeeded between Iraq
and Syria, there is every likelihood that they would in time wish to join it.
But from the very beginning I anticipate that such a League, even if limited
to Iraq and Syria, would facilitate joint consultation between, and action by, all
Arab States whether within the League or not. Many of our problems are the
same; we are all part of one civilisation; we generally think along the same lines
and we are all animated by the same ideals of freedom of conscience, liberty of
speech, equality before the law and the basic brotherhood of mankind.
Conclusion.
In my view the only fair solution, and indeed the only hope of securing
permanent peace, contentment and progress in these Arab areas is for the United
Nations to declare now :—
(1) That Syria, Lebanon, Palestine 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
shall be reunited into
one State.
(2) That the form of government of this State, whether monarchical or
republican, whether unitary or federal, shall be decided by the peoples
of this country themselves.
(3) That there shall be created an Arab League to which Iraq and Syria will
adhere at once and which can be joined by the other Arab States
at will.
(4) That this Arab League shall have a permanent council nominated by
the member States, and presided over by one of the rulers of the States,
who shall be chosen in a manner acceptable to the States concerned.
(5) The Arab League Council shall be responsible for the following :—
(a) Defence.
(b) Foreign affairs.
(c) Currency.
(d) Communications.
\e) Customs.
(/) Protection of minority rights.
(6) The Jews in Palestine shall be given semi-autonomy. They shall have
the right to their own rural and urban district administration,
including schools, health institutes and policy, subject to general
supervision by the Syrian State.
(7) Jerusalem shall be a city to which members of all religions shall have
free access for pilgrimage and worship and a special commission
composed of representatives of the three theocratic religions shall be
set up to ensure this.
(8) That, if they demand it, the Maronites in the Lebanon shall be granted
a privileged regime, such as they possessed during the last years of
the Ottoman Empire. This special regime, like those to be set up in
paragraphs 6 and 7 above, shall rest on an International Guarantee.
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' [157r] (314/1144), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2110, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100047229910.0x000075> [accessed 15 July 2026]
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- 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
- 153r:157v
- Author
- al-Sa‘īd, Nūrī
- Usage terms
- The copyright status is unknown. Please contact [email protected] with any information you have regarding this item.