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Coll 6/43 'Pan Arab Congress 1933. Attitude of H.M.G. to a Pan Arab Movement' [197r] (394/1144)
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.
7 . As
• • •
2
. / (r;
282 of October 4, 194-1? and his telegram 1179 dated
October 15, 194-1? to the Torelgn Office, with the^
following exception. He contemplates that the initial
experiment could be conveniently restricted to the
adjacent territories of Iraq, Syria, Trans-Jordan and
Palestine. I certainly agree that Syria, (with which
I include for the purposes of this note the other
components of the French mandate) Trans-Jordan and
Palestine would be suitable subjects for an experiment
since they were formerly portions of the same economic
unit, and their separation has involved their inhabi
tants in great hardship. The position of Iraq, however,
is entirely different. Iraq has always been separated
from Syria and both ethnologically and economically
its interests have always been essentially divergent.
The whole history of this area is one of prolonged
rivalry from the Greeks and Persians to the Abbasid
and Umaiyyid and this divergence of interest is now
enhanced by the fact that Iraq is possessed of great
mineral wealth and is on the way to becoming a second
Egypt. Syria, Trans-Jordan and Palestine must remain
' in the nature of poor relations, and it is most un
likely that Iraq will v/ish to share her growing riches
.with them. On the other hand, as I have said above,
there are no great difficulties apart from artificial
political obstacles in bringing these three into closer
relationship with each other.
Su^ '■t ^
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CL U.K10VI .
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5 . Our proper role is a simple one. We should
keep abreast of any movement towards unity and facilitate
as far as possible the removal of economic and administra
tive barriers. I see a zollverein menti oned in _C airo_ ^
te legram ^221 of 0ctob er-14^-a941; to thT Foreign Office.
f I lioubt very much whether the removal of customs barriers
between the whole area is practical politics within any
reasonable space of time, since it is inconceivable that
j Egypt would be prepared to share her wealth Y/ith the
|other Arab nations. On the other hand, although cultural
barriers can be more easily raised, the main difficulty
will lie in the intellectually important area where the
population are accustomed to and based on the French
cultural connection. Since any attempt at closer cultural
union will almost inevitably loosen the links #iich bind
them to France this will be bitterly opposed and we have
everything to gain by remaining aloof from this struggle.
The means and the methods of severing the French cultural
connection will have to be found by the Arabs themselves.
6. It is interesting to see the problem through
Arab eyes and in this connection I enclose a cutting
from the "Egyptian Mail" of January 21. It will be
seen that what is contemplated here is a conference
between representatives of radio stations to study
collaboration and also between educational experts to
discuss unification of studies. It is doubtful whether
broadcasting will provide a\ very fruitful field for co
operation, and it is probably in the educational sphere
that most progress will be found practicable. I suggest
that some form of postal and perhaps telegraphic inter-
ccynmunication at reduced rates might also form a useful
contribution on the lines of the Empire penny post of
happier days. This should not be difficult to achieve
and would have a practical value in facilitating
communication between people of the same linguistic
interests.
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' [197r] (394/1144), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2110, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100047229910.0x0000c5> [accessed 15 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